Surface
by tweekthetwitch13
Summary: Years after Ciel Phantomhives death a boy appears in a modern setting, and he knows more than he should.. due to these occasional pesky nightmares.He believes them to be memories. His name is Ciel. Seb/Ciel spoilers for some Kuroshitsuji anime UPDATED
1. Chapter 1

Okay so since the Finale of the anime I've had this idea stuck in my head. I'm sure I'm not the only one with a similar idea…but oh well. Here we go. (I've never written anything very dramatic before either. So there might be a few vaguely amusing things, but I'll try to keep it true to genre)

Possible warnings? : SPOILERS FOR EPI …1-24. Aka the entire series. Canon to Anime plot line, made up from finale's ending on. Homosexual relationships. Grell. Mentions of rape (Ciels past). Author with a total lack of knowledge on any of the places she mentions. Probable OOC-ness. Author tends to update every blue moon. (Mentions of Demons consuming humans! I don't just mean souls. I don't believe this counts as cannibalism, but anything eating people should probably be up on the warning section.) Un-Beta'd So much, very very much is probably horribly wrong. Sorry sorry.

Disclaimer; I do not own any of the characters from Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler. Get over it.

----- Awakenings.

_Screams and bloody flashes burst forth into his subconscious, disturbing his slumber. _

_Flashes of memories that weren't meant to be his flowed into his head, as an unrelenting storm of anger and hate._

_Faceless hands grabbed and ripped him, destroying everything that was once sacred and pure._

_The fire was too real, so bright, and so painful. _

_The monster that was birthed from the flames was inhuman and unholy and far too familiar. _

_In another bright flash everything was gone in an obnoxious white. _

_The white was gone in a flourish of black and wasn't missed. _

_Red blossomed forth from his chest, dripping in a sickly way, but it welcomed._

_Everything would be better now, so calm, and so right._

_A caress._

_Flowers flowed by like memories in a blue glow on the stilled waters that had once been his life._

_---#  
_

Ciel woke in a start, putting a shaking cold hand on his hammering chest. He would have looked around his room to make sure all was safe, but by now he knew there was nothing there. Nothing that could burn his everything away.

14 year old Ciel La Mer had been having these types of dreams since he turned 12. No one told him puberty would be quite this bad.

Telling his parents was out of the question. His father was a high profile French business man, his mother an ex- actress from Dublin.

They lived a very comfortable life with both incomes, in a large Yorkshire home. (Though Ciel and originally been born just outside of London.)

No, telling his parents and having it possibly get out due to the parasite like Paparazzi was not an option. However things were getting harder and harder to hide.

His mother knew there was something wrong anyway; Ciel had always been a fairly happy young lad. Acting like every other little boy, though albeit a bit smarter. So maybe not all boys preferred to stay home and play chess but otherwise he was perfectly normal.

Even when his father started leaving often on long trips it was alright. He had friends and his mother still.

However...when the dreams started it wasn't long before it seemed to others as though he had become an entirely different person.

Demands, snide words and a general anti-social behavior were strong and came about fast as soon as the dreams arrived. Ciel realizing that if he didn't want to end up under more scrutiny attempted to mend his behavior. But as he attempted to act like what seemed like the long ancient person he had once been, that his family and friends knew it became harder and harder to tolerate the nightmares.

He longed for someone to understand. Someone to be there for him all the time. Someone who had caressed his cheek so tenderly. Someone he knew in his dreams, this someone from another Ciel's memories.

This someone with demonic red eyes and a cocky smile.

--#

It had taken quite some time for Ciel to fall back asleep after his latest mind attack. It wasn't that he couldn't fall asleep; it was that he didn't wish to.

He had the dreams again, but this time not in the form that most would call nightmares. Times of shoes clocking on cobblestone streets of a London long forgotten and large roaming gardens.

In the morning he woke up, as usual, to the sound of an alarm clock. To most humans on this planet we live in this sound is something wholly unwelcome, to Ciel it was sweet relief to a world he wasn't sure he wanted to see another night.

Starting his normal morning routine for the day, that honestly he wasn't all that good at, he returned from his restroom after getting dressed to find his mother sitting on the edge of his bed. She stared at the deep blue carpet as though it was an ocean offering to swallow her up.

This probably wasn't a good sign.

--#

And it wasn't. To most people it would not be a good thing at all.

Deirdre McKinley-La Mer announced that her husband, Ciel's father would be having his company's headquarters officially moved to Montreal Canada.

And they [Deirdre and Ciel] would be moving to a large downtown Loft in New York City at the end of the week.

When asked why they not just move to Montreal as well, Deirdre replied that-

"We could, and I thought out it I did, but I realized I'd always wanted to live in New York. Can you imagine, Ciel? Downtown New York! You can make all sorts of new friends as well!"

"Yes, Mother. Teenaged British boys with French names always do well in big cities."

"That's the spirit, _leanbh_."

Ciel decided this was a perfect opportunity. He had lost his friends in Yorkshire, didn't have any friends in London, and did have a lot of memories connected to this home he'd rather not have.

Maybe a change of scenery would do his mind good. Or at least preferably not any worse.

That was until that night's nightmare.

--#

_It was as convoluted as always. Bits and pieces of memory would surface, but they were mottled. Like a smoke screen, or like a picture underwater. They were very rarely very clear, and the ones that were, were ones he'd rather not see. This dream was different from most, a voice clearly and loudly cut through the darkness and mess that was his night life._

_This voice was smooth yet dark, hiding amongst the shadows yet never being undermined. The voice that said_

"_Ciel...Phantomhive..."_

_The face smiled, knowing, all without opening its eyes._

_--#  
_

Ciel sat up straight, like a shock of electricity had made its way through his body leaving him wide eyed and shaking like an autumn leaf.

He had never heard the last name before. No, only the first. Never, ever the last name, never the full name of his other self.

He had of course tried to look up this other person before, the person whose eyes he saw through in those horrible dreams.

But do you know how many boys named 'Ciel' there were at any given point in London's history? Granted not tons, but Ciel, not knowing the date never found out anything remotely important.

..But 'Ciel Phantomhive'? How many 'Phantomhives' could there possibly be?

Ciel found himself at 5:34AM on his laptop searching with almost a manic gleam to his eyes for anyone named 'Phantomhive' or more hopefully for a young man with a horrible past who shared his name.

He did find out there was a Phantomhive company in the late 1800's. One that ended up disappearing completely sometime around the London Fire in 1888*.

More importantly...That it died along with the only heir, 'Ciel Phantomhive – age 12. Perished in the second great fire of London.'

Ciel had to know more.

There was very little information out, which seemed odd to him. A large company, with a very young heir just disappears almost completely out of the history books, (Or in this case internet)?

If he couldn't find the information he was looking for online then he'd search the libraries, he'd search London itself. He'd search anywhere he could, he had all the time in the world after all.

Except...He only had a week until he was moved to New York.

--#

It had been such a long time, and yet the demon who had been given the name 'Sebastian' knew that it had been so recent. For a demon, give or take a hundred years was like a blink of an eye. To an immortal the time he had spent with the young Phantomhive heir was nothing.

And yet…It seemed to be one of the longest periods of time in his immortal life. Yet at the same time it was far too short. Painfully short.

He knew getting attached would only end in a Shakespearian type tragedy. Not that it mattered much. The second he saw those eyes he knew the boy would be remembered.

He believed just getting to serve under such an interesting human specimen, the eternity afterwards would be worth it. He just never expected to become this attached, and never expected this…regret.

At first Sebastian had no qualms about fulfilling the contract and taking the boys soul. He was a demon after all, it's just what they did.

That wasn't to say he didn't care for his young master at the time, oh no. He did all in his power to make sure the boy comfortable. Until the very end, he wanted to be the very best butler a demon could possibly be.

Ciel had other ideas of course, the boy never failed to surprise him. Who knew such a remarkable creature could live within the frail body of a 12 year old boy.

If he wanted pain, he would deliver the kiss of death in such an tragically intimate way even the Gods would weep.

Sebastian remembered it as clear as crystal, how the boy's eyes became an unseeing milky color as the remains of his soul left his already deceased young body.

As the boy lay limp in his arm, Sebastian made a choice; one he had never made before, and prior to when he met little Ciel Phantomhive, would have never made.

He decided not to eat him.

Demons would not only eat the souls of humans, but the often times the bodies as well. Sebastian was in fact one of those demons. Once a contract was fulfilled the soul of the person in question along with their body would be given to the demon. In all normal circumstances the same would have been true with Ciel Phantomhive. His body hadn't been badly mangled before his death, in the end it probably came out more unscathed than his spirit.

Sebastian had claimed he 'only wanted his young master', and yet as the cold lithe body laid there he couldn't bring himself to do it.

It seemed even after death, Ciel Phantomhive was the only being able to bring out his own 'human' side.

--#

In the years following the death of Ciel, Sebastian went where the depravity went. That was, when he was on Earth and not in the Underworld.

He had been to every major city on the planet , with the exception of never returning to London except once*. While London and the surrounding English towns had been some of his favorites on the planet he no longer felt the need to be there. He had been there for the Great London Fire of 1666, but he couldn't go back and walk the streets and look at the quaint shops without imagining the young Phantomhive by his side.

(*The only time in which he had returned back to England was right after the Blitz)

Currently he resided in New York city.

He spent a fair amount of time in Japan and China as well, going to large bustling cities. Large amounts of humans in small spaces meant a better chance for him to claim a meal. Unfortunately none were quite so interesting as one single dead British boy named after the heavens.

He preferred places such as New York or Tokyo where he could be as…unique as he wished without getting a single odd glance. A place where he could blend into the background, disappear in the steam coming from the sewers beneath.

However it would be far less difficult to 'blend' if he didn't have a loud, longhaired, blood red bouncing ball of obnoxiously gay Death God following him around.

A Death God who would simultaneously tease him for acting 'too human, or 'getting soft in your old age' and offer him sexual favors. Which was in fact just as annoying the first time as it was the eight thousandth.

Apparently it was quite difficult to shake off Grell Sutcliffe, even if you say…go to the Underworld only to reappear on Earth on the opposite side of the planet. Repeatedly.

Sebastian didn't let Grell 'hang around' him because he liked the company, or missed his Bocchan so much that he'd put up with any reminder of their past. No. In fact he quite hated that about the Death God.

It was just that if he killed said obnoxious man he'd end up in trouble with the Death God higher ups. While it wouldn't be troublesome to kill a few Death Gods (And some might even appreciate getting rid of Grell once and for all) he wouldn't be able to take them all on. So, for now he put up with it, or more correctly practiced his 'Ignoring all annoying and troublesome noises' technique. This technique is equally useful just for living in New York city.

"Mou~ ….Sebas-chan~! Hey! Sebby~!... OI!"

"I should have never let you follow me to Tokyo."

Well it worked sometimes.

--#

Getting his mother to let him go to London wasn't very difficult, Ciel decided. In her current state, she could be guilted into just about anything. Besides not moving to the United States, of course. Ciel, however had a plan. He would get the information he was dying to know before they went or his name wasn't Ciel La Mer. Though in his current situation that might not be the best phrase to use.

--#

His first stop was to a large public library to check their records, where the most helpful information would probably be located.

He found the situation was the same in the British Library along with the London Library and various others in the London area; while they did in have fact have extensive records and more books than anyone could possibly wish for…When it came to anything on the Phantomhives past and more importantly Ciel Phantomhive all the records were gone.

While this was obviously very troubling to Ciel to have the records missing, but even more troubling was in many books it looked as though pages had been violently removed. These certain pages should have contained information on Ciel Phantomhive exclusively. Ciel couldn't find so much as an Obituary.

He also checked newspapers for any information, and there were of course many papers and articles that came out on the 1888 London Fire. However certain parts seemed mysteriously blacked out, some had burn marks in P list of the people who had perished in the fire. And like with the book records, some pages were missing altogether.

For the moment he'd have to deal with the small bit of information he had gleaned from the internet.

This, of course wouldn't stop Ciel. The people who knew Ciel best knew, that even when the boy was little and cheerful, he had a mean stubborn streak. If they didn't have the information he wanted in a library, he'd check every Antique store in London.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------######## Till next time~

Author Note;I should have written more, but I decided to end the chapter here. Sorry. Alot more will be happening next chapter.

Explanations; 1: La Mer means Ocean in French. Ciel means Sky/Heavens. 2: When his OC mum says 'leanbh' it means child/baby in irish gaelic. 3. Uh..Okay there was no fire in 1888. There was one in 1666, that is probably what the author of Kuroshitsuji was going for.

Please review! I'm trying to keep everyone in character, and probably failing..but any reviews (including contsructive are very much welcome) with the exception of flames are welcome.

I don't usually like putting japanese into fanfiction if I can help it, but oh well. If people hate it I'm sorry.


	2. The Inevitable

Surface,

Chapter two.

Thankyouthankyouthankyou so much for all the wonderful feedback! It means worlds to this lowly fangirl! I could have never imagined getting such great reviews so quick after putting the story up XD. I can only hope I keep it nearly as interesting as the first chapter ..anyway onto the story.

An extra thanks to Ifern for pointing out to me that Ciel died when he was 13, not 12. Hopefully I'll remember this time around. Thanks again. I will change Ciel's death to the age of 13, however for modern Ciel, his dreams will still have started when he turned 12. Hope that makes some sense.

Warnings and Disclaimers are the same chapter to chapter.

--------------------The Inevitable Meetings.

_It hurt to breathe._

_It burned at his lungs similar to how the smoke filled opium rooms once had. However instead of sickly smoke spiraling around his being it was a freezing, bitingly cold embrace of the Thames._

_The water hurt his eyes, yet he kept them open anyway._

_Miss-matched eyes struggled to see the rays from the sunrise making their way into the still, calm depths._

_It was all over now._

_He thought he saw a butterfly above the waves._

_--_

It was difficult to keep going, Ciel thought. While it was true he was undeniably stubborn, the same could also be said for his, as some would say, 'laziness'. There was a different battle in his mind being waged than the one that usually was present. There was nothing that was going to stop him from continuing on his search, except himself.

Flipping through what had to be the 80th book in the 16th musky little London antique shop; Ciel pondered how much a P.I. [Private Investigator] would cost him. Sighing, Ciel put back the red binded book he had been holding onto the old dusty shelves that had held it.

He was getting quite tired of all of this; the 'quaint' little antique shops, the smell of history long past that honestly made him sneeze, the disapproving looks from older British gentlemen that didn't believe a young boy had any place in such a store. Not to mention being followed about by the even older and snobbier owners of the shops. Like he would honestly steal any of the pieces of junk these grubby people tried to pass off as 'priceless antiques.'

As he left the most current store with a jingle from the bells on the door handles, he gave an equally disapproving look to the one he was receiving towards the older gentleman in a tweed jacket that ran the shop. Talk about cliché'.

Ciel decided to call it a day; he was far too tired to continue in his current state. Luckily the Suite he was staying in wasn't too far away, and while he didn't want to walk it'd still be shorter than getting a cab in London. Even if his shoes surely weren't the best for walking, and he'd really rather do nothing than relax in a luxurious bath.

Making his way down the sidewalk Ciel just happened to glance down a small side street, something there caught his eye. There was a tiny little tucked away shop down at the end of the cobblestone side road, barely noticeable unless you happened to be looking for it. A hand painted wooden sign that read-

' Helena's Psychic Shop, Reveal the future, Relive your past lives! We have the tools to help you!'

Ciel was moments from laughing at the silly woman's shop, but his eyes rested on the 'Relive your past lives!' section of the sign.

Well it couldn't hurt to check one more shop.

--

Pushing open the heavy wooden to the shop inside, Ciel found the smell to be far more overwhelming than any of the Antique stores he had visited the last two days. The first thing that greeted him was the powerful smell of incents; burners and candles had been placed all around the room, since there was no real lights to speak of. There was a humid heat in the room that had obviously not come from the London outdoors. A dank, almost moldy smell was only partially covered up by incents lit in the smallish sized room. Ciel was mildly horrified and intrigued to note moth balls in various areas and for some reason a bottle of baby powder.

There was next to no light coming through the few and far between windows due to heavy curtains, he hoped the fuzzy texture on them was only due to them being velvet. In the window sill there were many pictures and objects, they all varied in apparent age. Tables and stools were scattered in the room, in a way that no intelligent being could label as 'arranged'. Various objects of different sizes were scattered on top of these surfaces as well, Ciel decided not to touch them however; they looked as if, if you touched one your hand would come back diseased.

A small cough came from the corner causing Ciel to jump and highly regret the squeak of surprise that found its way from his lips. He hadn't been aware there had been anything living in the room, and he could only imagine what it could look like. This 'Helena' person was probably some sort of ghoul from the netherworld, or possibly a new age hippy type.

Or possibly a woman in her late 50's, with large amber eyes and flowing hair of the same color.

--

"Hello little one, welcome to my shop of the mystical and beyond. I am Helena May Aberlin, how may I help you?"

She wasn't an unattractive woman, she had probably been quite the beauty in her youth and very much not the witch type Ciel had been expecting. Her shoulder length hair rested on her ankle length dark scarlet dress, everything about her looked clean and very much of a classic feel, unlike the rest of her shop.

"I'm surprised you didn't say, 'I was expecting you'."

"Oh my, don't be silly. How would I possibly know if… Never mind that now. Can I help you today?"

"I suppose so, I am curious about your services; you said you could read past lives, yes?"

"Aah, yes. That is correct."

"So…how much do you charge? Not that money is an issue for me, I am simply curious."

"Oh I don't charge any money for my services, but compensation will be required. But don't concern yourself about that right now, what exactly do you want to know about past lives or your past life in particular?"

That was something Ciel wasn't really expecting. He was fully certain the woman end up being like every other extortionist 'psychic' out there. He wondered what this, 'compensation' would be however. Ciel didn't quite feel like losing any internal organs today.

"I've been…having dreams for quite some time now."

Ciel crossed his hands, unconsciously not meeting the woman's face or eyes. He had spent so much time hiding his secret; certain he was crazy, just to be telling a strange shop owner his most troubling thoughts? It was odd, he felt embarrassed and slightly relieved all at the same time.

Helena Aberlin's expression became slightly more serious, a business like air came about her.

"And these dreams are troubling, are they? Can you tell me more about them, and about when you started having them? Oh my, pardon my manners. Would you like to come back into the kitchen ? I just put on the kettle."

Without receiving an answer Helena turned and made her way into what Ciel imagined to be a back room. Glancing around once at the dank and dark room he was currently in, remembering how badly his feet hurt and how tired he was Ciel decided sitting down with a warm cup of tea sounded lovely.

Maybe she even had some sweets.

--

Helena Aberlin's kitchen was refreshingly clean, so clean it would lead one to believe the front room was just a clever rouse. It was a bright room, the walls a very light yellow that made the room seem very chipper. In Ciel's current state it was mildly annoying, but he wasn't going to comment on it. He was seated, cupping a steaming glass of black tea, at a round wooden kitchen table that had a decorative lace cover.

More importantly the woman had a number of sweet tea biscuits handy.

Scooting out a chair and rearranging the seat cushion, Helena sat opposite Ciel. While Ciel was far more occupied munching on biscuits and silently judging the house she lived in, Helena quietly sipped her own tea while calmly staring at the young boy in her kitchen. Something seemed familiar about him, she thought, too familiar.

"Once you've finished, please continue your story. The best way to help someone relive their past lives is for that person to name specific details. If you can, name any places or certain events that might seem important?"

Ciel paused, he was already fairly certain he knew when and who he was, or had been, but should he tell this woman all of that? Well he didn't really have any other options left to him; he was running out of time. If she was any help at all, he'd still only have access to her brain for a few more days. And if for any reason she couldn't help, or called him crazy, then he was leaving Britain anyway so it didn't matter.

"The...most recurring aspects of my dreams are a large fire. And drowning. In the Thames…"

"Oh? My, that is quite specific. There were a few fires in London though dear."

For a moment, Ciel looked away, he shakily put down his cup and twisted his hands in his lap.

"I also…Happened to hear the name I was being addressed by as well.."

"…And? You aren't going to make me get you more sweets before you continue are you?"

Helena eyed the remnants of her long gone biscuits, before turning her eyes back towards the dark blue haired youth across from her. Ciel seemed to find a string on his jacket insanely interesting, pulling and plucking at it and avoiding all eye contact, like a child who had just been found doing something they ought not.

Ciel shot the woman a sharp look, he felt bad enough as it was and now some 'psychic' was teasing him? He should just walk out and leave her to guess, though then he wouldn't get anywhere. Here goes nothing, thought Ciel.

"I didn't really see anything clear, however…the name I heard was, 'Ciel Phantomhive'. I've attempted to look this person up however- HEY what are you doing?!"

Helena had gone wide eyed, leaping up from her seat and letting her chair fall to the cold floor with a crash. She dashed from the room, muttering inaudibly to herself. Ciel stared blankly down the path from the kitchen the older woman had ran down, he could hear her moving and pushing things around in what seemed like a frantic manner.

This…certainly was not the reaction Ciel had been expecting.

Before his brain really had time to process everything, weighted down by the previous hours of searching, Helena returned holding only what appeared to be a simple picture frame.

"I knew it! Oh, I just knew it! I knew you looked familiar, and boy do you. How did I not think of it before? My, my, my how odd."

"Woman, please, if you are done acting much the part you look could you please tell me what is going on?"

Ciel's eyes narrowed and darkened; the way someone's would for persons who had seen far too much in their life span. There was a knot forming in his stomach, his hands clenched in unexplainable anger. It was coming again, the feeling of the other him. What frightened Ciel the most was this unexplainable hate, swirling within his body and mind.

Before he had a chance to go on further, the photo was shoved in his face.

"Hush, now. I, Helena May Aberlin, happen to be the only human being left on the planet with a picture of Ciel Phantomhive. My great grandmother kept it when her husband died; apparently the Phantomhive helped her and the family financially. This was so much so that even after the death of Ciel Phantomhive, which was soon after the death of her husband's death, our family was well sustained."

Ciel gazed at the old photograph; it was old but had obviously been taken very good care of.

The face that looked back at him was his own. Ciel felt his body go cold, a sickly daunting feeling creeped along his bones and slid into his stomach like a curled venomous snake. The only exceptions on the two were the fact that this Ciel Phantomhive had an eye-patch over one eye, and of course the difference in clothing.

Ciel felt scared for some reason. And the reason was not the fact he saw himself sitting there in a picture dated over a hundred years ago. No, there was another reason.

There was another man standing behind where this Ciel Phantomhive was seated. A butler dressed completely in black.

An inhuman looking man, with a smile that had haunted Ciel's dreams.

Ciel was only vaguely aware of the tears running out of only one of his eyes, or of Helena calling his name before he collapsed.

--

There was a Bar in New York City that Sebastian often visited. It was truly a pit, a sty in the 'Big Apple'. Smoke curled around the room like a python bent of choking the air out of every living creature, reminding Sebastian vaguely of Lau. The smell however was far worse than the underground opium dens in turn of the century London. Business men that wanted to drown their sorrows along with the other street scum, the worst of the worst humans all congregated in this bar. It was a wonderful feeding ground for Demons.

Sebastian did his best to ignore the redhead next to him who was gulping down one effeminate drink after the other. Grell was quite the pain, like some horrible parasite. He was chasing away business, no one would come up to Sebastian now and spill their entire lives story only wishing for '_some way out of it all'_, when there was a loud gay man-thing sitting next to him.

Sighing, Sebastian raised his cold red eyes to the rest of the room. One man in the other corner of the room was staring blankly down into the drink, one possible meal. Another chubby balding man with a south Bronx accent was screaming obscenities at the television, 'Oh come on! Goddamnit I'm out another five thousand!', A man wanting money is willing to do just about anything; another possible meal.

Sebastian let his eyes rest on a fairly young looking girl sitting next to a man who was grinning an oily smile at another owlish type looking fellow. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was happening. There was an exchange of money, the girl kept her face down, tightening her coat around her frail body as if protecting it from a far worse evil than anything supernatural. Sebastian decided she was the best choice for a contract.

He liked her. She reminded him a bit of Ciel, she looked so small and delicate and yet there was a frantic anger behind her eyes. She was willing to do anything to get away, and from how she was radiating a silent hate it wouldn't take much for her to want to see blood running from the men that had harmed her.

"She's pretty right? Such a shame!"

Grell chuckled in such a way it made it perfectly apparent he didn't think it was a shame at all. Sebastian raised one perfect eyebrow slightly.

"I highly doubt you find her attractive, let alone find the prostitution happening abominable."

Grell let out a flowy laugh, sending a flirty tooth filled smile towards Sebastian. Quite revolting really.

"I didn't mean that, silly. And no, she's not my type, though she'll look much more attractive later tonight…all covered in blood."

The smile got bigger, like the mad Cheshire cat.

Well it explained some things. Obviously a Death God would know something like that…Sebastian cast one last look at the girl as she left the building with the owlish man, the man now had a new wicked gleam to his eyes. It wouldn't be long before the people of New York would be seeing her cold face on the nightly News, bloodied and mangled, much as it wouldn't be long before Grell would be standing over her doing his job.

--

"Oi, you got a call."

Sebastian and Grell both stared blankly at the man behind the bar.

"You..you don't mean Sebby do you?"

"Hey man..man right? I don't know, I just got some call from a English dude saying he needed to speak to someone named Sebastian. He said what you looked like, n' was goin' ta' leave a message, but I told him you were here so I'd tell you right away, ya know'? N' then he told me to tell you to call him back once I told ya', Kay'?"

"That makes no sens-"

"Where is your phone?"

Sebastian cut in rather quickly, there was only one English man he knew of that would leave him a message.

--

This man's name was Alastair Fennelwick, he was a bit stuffy and uptight but he had his uses. The last time Sebastian had been back to the UK in 1941, he had met a very much younger Alastair. He had just inherited his Grandfathers Antique store.

It had quite the assortment, some of the items were of great interest to Sebastian; books that contained records on the Phantomhive's, old newspapers with a few pictures of the Phantomhive family members (Some dating before Ciel's father), toys that had the Phantomhive crest. Sebastian took every last one, like he had done in every other book and antique store before he had left the Isles.

Not for sentimental reasons.

He destroyed every last one, burning them all to ash.

For some reason, Sebastian had felt almost protective over it all. He wanted absolutely no one sticking their noses into business that didn't concern them, and things Sebastian knew Ciel wouldn't have wanted getting out. No, Ciel would have rather had everything to disappear, so Sebastian the ever faithful butler wiped away all traces he could.

He didn't need to, of course. The contract had been fulfilled when Ciel had died, and yet Sebastian still returned right after the boy's death. He gave word to the surviving three; Finny, Maylene and Bard. He Informed Elizabeth of the death of her fiancé. He buried Pluto's bones along with a tearful Finny who was still, regardless of it being the right thing to do, quite guilt ridden over the death of the demon beast.

For awhile things had been safe, the three had been there to protect the memory of the Phantomhives without letting information leak out. The head of Scotland Yard and the Queen made no moves to investigate or bring anything to light; Sebastian was sure they were more than happy to let the Phantomhive family memory die.

However, by the end of the Blitz in 1941, all those who had once known Ciel Phantomhive were dead; The Queen, Maylene, Finny and Bard along with those in Scotland Yard that had known. This would seem like it would be even safer, but no. This meant a new wave of eager historians, desperate to reclaim the past after so many things and places they had held dear in the present had been destroyed in the attacks.

Sebastian, even after destroying everything that the Fennelwick family had regarding the Phantomhives, being the ever clever demon he was instructed young Alastair to alert him in some method if anyone was to come around looking deeply into the Phantomhive name. (By 'instructed' he means scared the youth witless). He had give Alastair a number of addresses and phone numbers worldwide, since Sebastian very rarely stuck around in one area for very long. One of the numbers he had left was to this very bar in the middle of New York city.

--

"Alastair Fennelwick, it has been quite some time. Is the reason you have contacted me for the reason I specified?"

Sebastian was in a back room, further away from the pool tables, smell and noise. No one was back here, which is what made it the perfect spot to discuss business. Sebastian was quite sure he wasn't the only being who had discovered this, judging by the amount of bad trade in the bar.

"_Ah yes, er Sebastian Michaels sir, you see I did in fact remember quite well what you had asked, but I never expected anyone to come into the shop for that you see. Not once in all my years of running this shop had I gotten one person investigating the...the thing you said never to name."_

Well it was good to see Alastair hadn't changed much in the last few decades. He had always been the type to ramble when he got nervous. Sebastian could just see him now, running hands through his thinning hair and straightening out his very out of style tweed jacket.

"Alastair, please do not waste my time."

He spoke with a cold tone to his voice, one that could curl the very air around him, with a very familiar smirk present on his inhuman hips.

"_OH , Oh I am sorry, really ever so sorry!..Well since..I've told you..may..may I now leave, sir, please?"_

"No, Alastair. I want details, I want to know what type of person was looking into that subject. I would be very happy with you if you had happened to catch their name."

"_Ah, well you know I thought it was quite strange you know? It was a young boy, at first I was certain he was going to try and lift something since that is what boys at that age tend to do when they come in my shop. Honestly, in my youth we actually helped our elders and had an interest in-"_

"_**Alastair."**_

"_OH, er I mean, yes it was a boy. Around 13, maybe 15 at the oldest, yet he acted far older. He came in saying he had checked various other shops looking for a certain item, and I told him that I was sure we would have what he was looking for because I do have the best shop in London, if I do say so myself-"_

"_**Alas-"**_

"_AH, Er yes young boy, obviously English, though it didn't sound exactly like he was from London, possibly a northern accent. When I told him I hadn't heard of the 'subject' he was looking for he looked quite upset, and not sad upset, more like he was about to strike me. The attitude on the boy, you should have seen the look he gave me when he was leaving the shop..er! Details, well let's see he was between 150cm to possibly 165cm, skinny, blue eyes I remember, very blue. Not sky blue, sea blue. Hmm and his hair..I thought it was black at first. Thought maybe he was Irish or Welsh with those colorings, but it almost had a blue glow to it in the lights. Though I'm sure it was just dyed, since apparently kids these days enjoy making their hair look like a fishing lure.."_

"I'm hanging up now Alastair. Thank you for the information, I will decide if I wish to come in person later. "

"_I-i-in perso-"_

_Click._

Sebastian leaned against the wall that the phone was connected to, crossing one leg over the other and bring his hand to his chin.

A young boy between 13-15, with blue eyes and dark blue hair. How very peculiar, how very strange indeed.

Sebastian decided it was about time he revisit England.

He might even visit Ciel's tombstone.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Till next time.

Authors notes: ..Erm. I..I don't know what to say. Okay first off..I'm not British, so I've probably gotten about a billion things wrong. Second..I apologize for bad grammar and being just generally unimaginative XD I really needa go to bed

Will Ciel and Sebastian meet next chapter? ……They'll meet quicker if you give me more wonderful reviews!


	3. The Complicated Theater

Holy cow! 47 reviews? Never in my wildest dreams!!! Thank you all soooo much! Sadly I don't know how soon the next updates will be. I have a research paper to do ;A;. Anyway thanks again! For anyone that still has questions regarding the story (more importantly Ciel's soul.)everything will be explained in due time. Anywho here we go, I have some odd ideas in store for this chapter so I hope it doesn't come out awkwardly..

Disclaimers are the same chapter to chapter.

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_There was an aromatic smell encompassing every corner of the room._

_It was pleasant, unlike the choking smoke that often curled around the Madam in Red or the Chinaman-_

_Spices of every kind and color, of every nation, were in the room creating an odor that could charm even the Gods themselves._

_Figures were flitting about, blurred just out of focus. It didn't matter. His gaze was focused only on one figure, this figure that was crystal clear yet cloaked in darkness. _

_It was delectable, even if it lacked the sweetness he so greatly desired._

_--_

Ciel woke in a dim room, for a moment believing his dream had been reality for the smell of exotic incents filled the room.

Where was he?

Sitting in an upright position, Ciel glanced around the room he was in. He wasn't too happy in realizing he was on some sort of mat on the ground; sleeping on the ground was so undignified. It took him a moment for his whereabouts to sink in, he was looking from a different position in the room but he was most undeniably in Helena Aberlin's shop. The smell, warmth and just general untidy look of the room were unmistakable.

Now the question was, obviously, how on earth did he go from the kitchen to a pad on the ground? Bringing his hand up to his face, Ciel rubbed the bridge of his nose. Ciel was very rarely in a good mood upon waking up, even when he hadn't been having wholly disturbing dreams…

This was pure torture.

"Oh, you're awake! Ah..About time too, I was getting tired myself…"

Ciel glanced up; Helena who was standing in the hallway entrance held what appeared to be fake electric candle. She was dressed in a long cotton night dress and robe; this was something that did not bode well.

"Wh-what time is it? How long have I been asleep?"

Ciel rubbed his eyes quickly, before shakily standing after getting his footing. Helena had a small smile on her face; one that said she was quite happy he had actually woken, yet knew the conversation to come wouldn't be a cheerful one.

"It's about a quarter till midnight..You've been out for quite some time, kiddo."

Ciel's deep blue eyes widened, he was staring at Helena, yet no longer seeing her.

He hated this.

Clenching his hands into a tight fist, a snarl making its way onto his young face Ciel seemed to snap. Before he realized what was happening, his hands were bunched in Helena's robe. Narrowed eyes glared up into her shocked face, the electric candle she had been holding crashed to the floor.

"Why didn't you wake me up sooner!? Tell me!"

The voice that came from Ciel wasn't his, and at the same time it was. As the sound of his own words sunk into his head, Ciel reeled back in horror. Wide eyed, he brought a shaky up and ran it through his dark blue hair. Blue eyes stared down at the broken electric candle that had shattered on the floor. It was even darker in the room now than it had once been.

He hated this.

"I-I'm sorry..I didn't..Didn't mean to…"

"Don't worry about it. A few too many good folk wake up foggy and cute and go straight to mean."

Helena sounded vaguely amused, but when Ciel raised his eyes back up to meet hers, the amusement had obviously not reached her face. She didn't appear to be angry, but more like something was nagging at the back of her mind.

"No, no..You don't understand..That isn't..This isn't me. I'm not that person!"

"I understand perfectly. Tell me, did you dream again while you slept? Actually, answer that in a moment. I can't see a bloody thing in here, old people eyes you know…One moment."

Helena departed down the dark hallway; occasionally Ciel heard an unladylike curse as she stubbed her toe into some of the junk lying around. Her departure gave Ciel a moment to calm down, take a few deep breaths before she returned carrying a flashlight.

"I don't see why you don't just turn on the light switch…"

"This makes it more spooky, and the light bulbs burned out and I haven't been to the market yet. Anyway, please take a seat and tell me about the dream you had."

"Take a seat where? This is all junk piles; some of it might even be alive."

"If you have the time to be snarky, you have the time to sit your prepubescent arse on the mat I lovingly put down for you."

Ciel was too exhausted to be too amused or insulted so he just took a seat, Helena pulled up was appeared to be a container of some sort and sat down on it nearby. Ciel crossed his legs and pulled up the fleece blanket that had been covering him before; the clothes he had been wearing earlier didn't do much to conserve body heat.

"Before I tell you about my dream, may I ask why I am in here instead of in the kitchen like we were before?"

"I don't light candles just for ambiance, my home is freezing cold. The Kitchen is the coldest, this room is the warmest. I can't afford to keep the candles lit however; the cat could push them over. Can we continue please?"

Ciel decided not to push the issue, but was mildly curious as to what cat was in her home.

"Er, right. Let's see…I was in a fairly large room I think, standing in the doorway maybe. It smelled really good, exotic. There were figures moving around but they were blurry except for-"

Ciel paused for just a moment, for some reason the idea of telling her about the one figure that had been in focus was something he wasn't quite ready to do.

".....I think it was in a kitchen. That's all really."

If Helena had caught Ciel's pause she didn't comment on it.

"How clear was this dream? Did it make more or less sense than other dreams you've had?"

"Hmm..It wasn't the clearest dream I've ever had, but it was the clearest peaceful dream I've encountered. Most the ones that don't make me wake in cold sweats are very convoluted and odd."

"I see, do you think the reason for it is because of this-"

Ciel blinked as a photograph was shoved into his face, as his eyes focused he began to panic. Why he had blacked out earlier came rushing back to him. The boy with his face, the man in black, those demonic eyes.

Before it could set in again it was pulled from his line of view.

"Ciel, are you alright? You began to hyperventilate; I really didn't want you collapsing on me all over again."

Ciel shook of the shock he had felt previously, feeling much worn out all of a sudden.

"I'm fine..I just..I'm feeling a bit tired. Can I sleep here tonight?"

At that moment Ciel realized he must be mad.

"It's past midnight dear, won't your parents mind?"

"No, I have my own hotel room a little ways from here..I'm just..not up for the walk right now."

Helena smiled, for the first time she was seeing Ciel as his actual age. Just a young boy, yawning and rubbing his eyes after a long day. It was a shame what he was going through, though very fascinating. The side of him she had seen earlier worried her though, and that wasn't the only thing.

There was something very much off about the young boy…For one he has absolutely no aura. In all of her years Helena had only seen a few people with a lack of aura, these were people Helena had her doubts _were_ even human.

Quite peculiar.

Helena's smile grew; in that short amount of time the boy was already fast asleep. Oh well, it didn't matter how peculiar the boy was. Standing up, she made her way back down the hallway to her own bedroom. Glancing once more down the hall she jokingly to herself 'blew' out the flashlight she was holding.

"Big things are in store for that boy, aren't they Jerry?"

A black cat, that had jumped in through the window she left open for him, rubbed itself on her leg in an agreeing manner.

--

"London?! Why do we have to go all the way to London? Who cares if some brat is investigating the other brat?!Come on!Sebastian!"

Grell was trailing after Sebastian in a New York back alley, they had just recently left the bar and after much whining Sebastian informed Grell as to where he was headed in such a hurry.

If Sebastian had been in his right mind that would have never happened, though he couldn't deny if he wanted for any reason to look into the Young Master's death it might help to have a Death God handy. Sebastian wasn't, however, in any hurry to tell Grell anything more than that.

At receiving no answer from the black haired gentleman in front of him, Grell pouted and quicked his pace. Grell knew Sebastian's connection to Ciel Phantomhive wasn't anywhere in the realm of normal; no, a Demon would never had let himself get so attached. Getting attached to a human? It made Grell sick, not to mention incredibly jealous.

"If we're going all the to _'Jolly ol' England' _Can we at least go first class? Please~ Sebby-chan?!"

Grell, Sebastian thought, should have really figured out quite some time ago that didn't and would never work on him. Neither did the eyelashes being fluttered in his direction. Sebastian stopped walking, in the middle of the dark alley. Once Grell noticed Sebastian had stopped walking, he turned around to look at the demon.

"Why, yes. I do believe I shall travel…'first class'."

Grell's eyes widened, Sebastian's true demonic nature shone through with a eerie red glow in his eyes. A familiar smirk crossed his lips, said lips only opening slightly to show a sharp row of teeth.

Grell cursed as Sebastian disappeared in a flourish of darkness, leaving the hotheaded red head alone in the middle of the dirty New York back alley.

"Sebastian!....Damnit. That brat is never coming back..his soul is gone. You idiot…"

His words evaporated into the air, heard by no living creature.

--

Demons heel quickly if they've fed and regained their strength, one can end up in tiny bits and pieces and all it would take is one meal and in just a relatively short amount of time they would be back to normal. There's been numerous occasions in Sebastian's long life in which he had been, in ways that would be fatal to most humans, injured. The largest grouping of these injuries had been when he was serving under Ciel Phantomhive.

He had taken knives, bullets, a death reapers chain saw, and plenty more all to his body and survived. To him, even without feeding, these were minor injuries. Nothing too serious, albeit a bit painful.

The worst injury Sebastian had sustained in quite some time had been the loss of his arm due to the demented fallen angel Ash.

What most people don't think actively about is that the body is very much alive, including bones. While if a human lost an arm or a leg they would never regain it, a demon may. Given time.

After regaining his lost strength from the consumption of Ciel's soul, he healed. Of course just healing from the battle with Ash itself hindered the healing process for his arm. For about 5 human years it was quite a horrible thing to behold, though useful in the scare-tactics department that demons found themselves frequenting.

After the morbid growing of bone and the sewing together of flesh and blood, Sebastian had his arm back.

Good as new.

--

Sebastian pushed back a lock of hair that had been misplaced in his little trip, glancing around at the London Alley he had come up in.

Cobblestone streets, almost cliché' but a bit comforting to the demon who hadn't been back since WWII. There was a small shop in the alley behind him, what appeared to be some sort of 'Psychic' shop. The name on the sign that said 'Aberlin' caught his muddy red eye. He sniffed, hoping to catch a familiar wiff connected to the Aberlin family, but it was a futile effort. If the smell of an London back alley wasn't enough to over power his senses, the large amount of incents and candle smell coming from the little shop was.

Oh well, Sebastian thought, even if this 'Helena' was in any way connected to the Aberlin he had known in the past it didn't matter much anymore.

As Sebastian made his way down the alley, a black cat darted past him and slipped inside the house by means of an opened window.

Sebastian smiled softly, but his mind was elsewhere. Before he spoke to Alastair at his antique shop, there was someone he needed to see first, someone he was sure was still in London.

His footsteps echoed quietly as he made his way onto the main London street path, an odd feeling starting to swirl in his gut.

--

Sebastian's target was found easily, and Sebastian was a little more than slightly disturbed to see the shop hadn't changed whatsoever since 1888.

"I've been expecting you. It has been awhile hasn't it?"

Sebastian turned calmly, nodding in a sort of greeting. It had been quite a long time indeed…

Undertaker grinned his same old crazed grin, a little giggle escaping past his lips.

Nothing had changed. The Death God was even dressed the same way, even his hair was styled exactly the same way covering his eyes. Though this didn't shock Sebastian one bit, if his experiences with them were any indication, Death God's all seemed to be a bit off their metaphorical rocker.

Before Sebastian could talk, Undertaker had beaten him to it.

"I have some news you might find quite interesting…quite interesting indeed. For a price of course!-"

Sebastian eye's flashed,

"-Is…what I would say if we weren't old friends!"

A nervous giggle this time, regardless of the fact Undertaker was quite powerful himself and not someone Sebastian would be very eager to fight. Turning, he fingered through various books scattered around in his shop. Undertaker seemed to have found what he was looking for after a couple moments and alerted Sebastian to his find with a small 'Aha!' and as always, mildly demented chuckle.

He waved the book in front of Sebastian's face, his grin getting even bigger.

"Do you know what this is? Hmmm, Geheh..I thought you would. Wouldn't be the first time you've seen one now would it?"

Sebastian snapped his hand out and stalled Undertakers waving hand. He realized immediately what it was; A book from the Death God's Library. An archive of books that archived ones life.

"This was Ciel Phantomhive's…When he died, it ended. However…it was found on the ground in our library, opened…and very much active."

For the first time in his life Sebastian was too shocked to really think.

This wasn't possible.

Ciel's soul was gone.

Undertaker hummed and grinned again, glancing back down at the book in his pale clutches.

"The Play is still being written..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Till Next time.

..Oh hohoho How evil am I?... actually I dont know if I like this chappie. I have no confidence in the first part, and no confidence in how I wrote Undertaker -shames- Er anyway!

Review and they'll meet sooner!!


	4. Ghoulish Truth

Tweek; I'm so sorry this has taken so long to get out, and that it's so short (not to mention I think this is probably the worst chapter out..).

Thank you to everyone who has read and enjoyed, it means a bunch!-**Longer note at end-**

Disclaimers stay the same chapter to chapter. (and it is, as always, unbeta'd. Hence the suckfest that is this chapter. I'm apologizing beforehand so you don't get your hopes up.)

PS: HAPPY LATE HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

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_It was becoming ever clearer, this dream realm of his._

_This should have been comforting, but there was a nagging pull at the base of his conscience._

_The clarity was similar to looking into a stream; waiting for the muddy water to clear, but for once it had cleared it would reveal a horrid monster lurking just below the water's surface._

_Waiting to consume your entire being._

_The lines of reality and dream were becoming more and more blurred. _

_This, here and now, was too real. _

_The pain and cold dancing a cruel biting dance across his young skin was too real._

_The cold did nothing but aggravate the loneliness he was feeling._

_Broken down and clutching his own legs like a scared child._

_Though I suppose I am, he thought._

_Pulling his legs closer to his body, wooden healed shoed echoing in the dark alley as they scraped across the ground._

_Looking up, one blue eye met a pair of feline red eyes._

_For now, this creature could be his guardian…_

_--_

Ciel opened his sleep blurred eyes and came face to face with a black cat.

Ciel screamed, and not in the most masculine manner. He jerked backwards, a million thoughts running through his dark blue hair covered cranium. What was going on? Where was he? Was his dream real? Should he need to factor in some sort of 'time-travel' scenario?

"Oh, Jerry! Come on now, get off the poor boy. Sorry, anyway would you like something to eat? I'd offer Porridge but all I have is corn flakes..Oh and Oreos. I hate them, but you might like them."

It was Helena, of course. There was no need for Ciel to panic. Looking a bit closer, the fat black cat that had been perched on his sternum had gold eyes. Looking back on his dream, did cats even come with red eyes? Was there some sort of deeper meaning?

"Kiddo?"

Ciel looked up slowly to meet Helena's questioning gaze, simultaneously getting up in a slightly more dignified manner than he had the night previous. She was wearing much the same outfit she had been wearing before aswell, holding a cooking pan for some unknown reason since she had already stated she only had corn flakes.

"No..thanks, I'll pass. I can get a proper breakfast at my hotel."

This in no way meant one's idea of the traditional 'English Breakfast'.

To Ciel, a proper breakfast included; Tea with large amounts of honey, one halved Grapefruit coated in a few layers of sugar, a scone lathered with the best jelly, along with a small slice of pie or cake with plenty of icing and whipped cream. You should see his dessert choices. It was a great shock to everyone that he had never had a cavity or any serious dental issues.

"I have to go anyway-", Ciel straightened out his jacket in a very proper manner before coolly gazing back at Helena, "You see, I have to leave for New York soon. I'm due home by the end of the day, and I had hoped to get a bit more accomplished while I was in London. Though, I suppose I can't call this a complete waste of time."

Helena Aberlin's eyes darkened somewhat, though it had nothing to do with the slight insult Ciel had dealt her.

"Just when are you leaving for New York? We may have discovered a small part of your past life, if you wish to call it, but we are f_ar_ from realizing the whole truth. If you leave now, I cannot help you from overseas."

Ciel looked away from her, looking idly around the filthy shop. No, it had not been a waste of time in the least. But there was no way he could stay here in England if his mother was dead set on moving to The States.

This was a large set back, he realized. Having to leave the one place that might be able to deliver any sort of answer was difficult.

He didn't want to look back at the slightly off woman in her nightgown and robe, but slowly took in everything he could in the room. None of this would help to regain those memories he had lost of a time long ago, but the least he could do was make sure the memories he had now stayed sharp.

"I'm aware of that. I am also aware I am only 14 years old, and the son of two very powerful people. It doesn't matter what I do or say, like I am now I have no pull and no power."

It seemed so ironic to him, the words that came from his mouth. He knew them to be true, but he was also quite aware in a different situation himself at a younger aged had held more power then he could even dream of. Something he did do with much frequency.

His mother, Deirdre, was kind. But she had also raised Ciel, as the son of an actress there was very little he could get away with. Temper Tantrums as a child had never worked under the keen eye of someone who had been trained to pretend for a living. And what could he do now besides throw a sort of tantrum?

Ciel doubted that even if he broke down sobbing at his mother's feet she would let him say in Britain. Even if he came clean and told her everything, well that might get him to stay in Britain, but being locked away in a mental institution wouldn't help much either.

No, for now he had to leave. This fact was an absolute, however it did not mean he would never visit this little shop again. No, his family had ties to the British Isles, and they would likely visit fairly often. Granted it would probably be a number of months, but Ciel could wait. The information he had gained in one day had helped him enough to the point it was possible he might not even need to visit again.

A knot grew in his abdomen. Ciel could tell himself whatever he like, and no matter how rational he try and be, he was dealing with things far out of the realm of rationality.

Deep down he knew, even if he 'remembered' everything from this so called 'past life, it was unlikely this path would lead him down a road of tranquility.

--

Undertaker found himself fixed with a blank red stare lined with depths of stubbornness.

"That isn't possible. This is a mistake. Fix it."

Sebastian wasn't playing around, which made the gray haired Death God a bit nervous to be truthfull. But at the same time highly, _highly_ amused.

Undertaker grinned as he began to shuffle around his shop, completely ignoring Sebastian's demands.

Life had been ever so boring since the young Phantomhive boy and his group ended up just being a collection of words in a tucked away book up at the Death God Library.

That isn't to say other humans hadn't amused him in the passing years. Humans always were the funniest of earths many species. For such a fragile creature they were quite arrogant and high strung, which always added to the fun.

For when personalities collide in the Colosseum that is humanity, the bodies piled up in a morbid statement of power and identity.

Undertaker did not morn, why would he? He loved his job, and humans were the main contributer.

"Tsk..tsk. What should I expect.."

He fingered around some old parchments and lifted a few jar lids, and every movement he made was like a taunt to Sebastian.

Sebastian's eyes narrowed, his true demonic presence was beginning to come through his already ghoulish crimson orbs.

Undertaker was useful in certain circumstances, and would hopefully be helpful now if the Death God ever decided to get serious.

Which honestly had about as big of a chance as Sebastian's hair turning neon glow pink. ( Which had only happened once in the 1970's)

Eye's locked on the figure of the shoddy dressed Death God, an eyebrow raised when he heard a faint 'Aha!' and a demented giggle that should come out of no man's mouth.

Undertaker turned around to face Sebastian with one of his unique bone shaped cookies hanging out of his mouth, and a grin that looked far too pleased with himself.

"You know, -"

Crunch.

"- as much as I ..._enjoy_ your company -"

Crunch.

"-.....I'd like to Get. To. The. Point.-"

Crunch.

"- _The. Point."_

Crunch.

"For the love of.-..Stop eating those!"

Gulp. Demented laugh.

"You said 'The point' twice you know. Did you have a stroke or something?"

"...I'm beginning to value Grell's company, which is something I never thought was possible. And I have no longer need to question if you left the Death God realm or if you were simply kicked out. It's the latter."

"Oh? Well why are you still here? I've told you everything I know. And it's most certainly not a lie. I never lie."

The cheshire grin on Undertaker's pale face seemed to beg the opposite.

"Obviously _something _you said was wrong. There is no possible way Ciel Phantomhive's Play could still be written. He died in the 1800's, and I, personally, made sure he no longer had a soul. Even if reincarnation _was _possible, he wouldn't have the soul to make it happen."

It sounded to both of the immortal men that the raven haired demon was more trying to convince himself than he was the Death God.

Undertaker tilted his head to the side, smiling all the while, and scratched at his chin.

"Human's like to say that there is more to a person than just their bodies. Their souls in other words... But a soul without a body is nothing. The body and heart remembers things the soul does not. Deeper things, powerful things..dark things. Someone might react to something without thinking about it, simply because their body remembers the feeling.-"

Undertaker looked up, even though they were still covered the feeling of eagle sharp eyes piercing into Sebastian's mind.

"_- And._ Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe you did not destroy young Ciel Phantomhive's body? This could be the root cause. Not to mention your...unwillingly to let the boy go could have influenced your consumption of his soul.."

" I ate his soul. " It sounded more like a murder confession rather than a demon admitting to what they do best, and what they do guiltless.

"I'm aware of that, Demon. But if there is a part of you that doesn't want to let him go, then it's possible his soul wasn't entirely destroyed when eaten...-"

Undertaker giggled and took a bite from yet another cookie.

"-Or something like that anyway! Who knows really!"

Sebastian paused in thought. The idea seemed plausible enough but reincarnation would still be impossible without the soul present, and Ciel's soul would still be inside himself even if on the off chance he hadn't broken it down entirely within.

The idea of Ciel living without a soul however was possible. Many demons would take a soul before hand from a very desperate human, and in return give the humans what they want. These humans were usually targets with very little to offer a demon, but there were enough of them that more demons seemed to pick these types. And therefore till the day they die, a human could around without a soul.

(Sebastian preferred the more refined human, the humans that would provide him with an excellent meal in the end and entertainment until that day. )

However Ciel living without a soul this long was impossible. Even without a soul, the body would behave just like a normal persons and eventually would die. With reincarnation being impossible and the Ciel that Sebastian had known being still alive was impossible no questions were answered.

He was right back at the drawing board.

There was only one thing to do now.

Find Ciel.

Or whomever be responsible for the reopenning of his Play.

Regardless of the improbilities and impossibilities.

His first target? The boy Alastair spotted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Till Next Time

(I wrote Death Eater a couple times instead of Death God. **-snigger- **Also, if you couldnt tell, I like to annoy sebastian. It brings me pleasure. I still have absolutely no idea how to write Undertaker. I end up thinking of Belphegor from KHR and expanding. And no, this chapter wasnt supposed to clear up things. In fact I think I made it more confusing. Even for myself.)

I appreciate and love everyone who has been sending me lovely reviews (and I appreciate you reading or watching or favoriting the story even if you don't review). I CAN NOT believe I have this many reviews for Surface. I can't believe it has even been translated into another language by a fan. It's amazing and makes me very happy. I hope I can update next time quicker than..as many months as it has been, but life is kind of hectic for me right now. So it's hard to say. I have no intentions of abandoning the story yet though. Thanks again everyone. It means a lot.

(Also for anyone who is wondering the length of this story, I don't see it going past 10 chapter. Over 5 is likely though. Sorry for not having Sebby and Ciel meet this chapter, but it would kind of mess up the flow.)

Thanks again everyone for the reviews and kind words.

Sorry that it seems like theres more Authors Note than there is story.


	5. The Flying Storm

...Please don't kill me? Yuss? ….No?

Surface is still on hiatus basically. I have no idea when i'll get around to it again. But I want everyone to know the feedback I've gotten is amazing and I thank you foreverandeveranever.

….My...only warning is that..well. I've only slept about 2 hours. So. Yeah. My writing wasn't great before..This'll be like a slow chimp wrote it.

Disclaim; Stays the same chapter to chapter. Unbeta'd. I have bad grammah. Sorry the chapter is short. and. well. You'll see.

* * *

----

_Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack._

_The hallway wasn't silent. There were mummers of sound spilling out into the empty hallway from behind closed doors. _

_And yet his shoes echoed off the walls, dancing around invisibly to the naked eye._

_Blue eyes glanced up to a sign above one of the many doors. _

_This was it. _

_A thought that sounded far more important than the task actually at hand. This was no dire, life or death situation. There was no princess that needed to be saved from the wicked demon. _

_Demon? Ah, he meant dragon of course. How silly of him. _

_Leaning up against the pale stiff walls that reflected of the very neatly shined pale floors, he waited his turn._

_'Class, please welcome our new student with open arms' _

_Mm, that was it. The beckoning call of education to come._

_He pushed off from the wall, not understanding how one could be completely and utterly bored and nervous as a seal cub abandoned infront of a hungry bear._

_Reaching out to grasp the handle, his small hands wrapped around the cool silver. As he did so a shiver ran down his spine._

_He paused._

_This wasn't right._

_Something was very wrong._

_And it didn't have to do with the tacky posters that lined some of the walls._

_He turned his head, body still in place. By now his body felt frozen even though he could feel the difference in temperature between his hand and the handle it held._

_There was a person standing at the end of the opposite side of the hallway. Why hadn't he heard this person coming? _

_In the back of his mind he figured the class would probably find this quite strange. Him just standing there infront of the door, looking away. _

_But in the forefront of his mind he was more concerned with other things such as; who on earth had red eyes, and how could he tell that from this far away._

_A smirk fell onto the lips of this mysterious person._

_'Ah... I found you, Ciel.'_

-------confused---------yet---------

_It was cold. _

_And wet._

_The rain bit at his skin, and the wind tore away at remaining body heat._

_It was hard to see, there were so many faceless shapes. The heat from their anger rolled off in waves, yet it provided no comfort to the boy fighting back the urge to shiver._

_A howl ripped through the air, followed by open mouthed screams from the faceless things._

_Blood splashed through the bleak blue-gray sky that was England after a hard rain._

_It was silent now, besides the sound of tears of the sky falling onto the damp earth._

_The only color was red painted across everything, in some sort of morbid work of art. _

_A sob cut through the new found but short lived silence._

_---- _

SMACK.

Ciel reeled back clutching at his head. Grimacing he opened an eye to survey what on earth hit his head and woke him from his precious slumber.

And instantly felt guilty.

His mother was similarly clutching her head and wincing.

"My word...heaven forbid a mother watch her only son sleeping for half a second. No, no you have to headbutt her into next week...Aah~ ow that smarts..Now I'm going to have a lovely bruise on the flight..."

Ciel bit his lip, oh he certainly wasn't amused at the pain his mother was feeling. No. That would be cruel.

He frowned a second later, realizing his dream realm had woken him up with a literal bang. He imagined he had woken up with a start, and sat up and smacked into his mother's caring cranium.

"Sorry mum...I didn't mean it."

"Oh. I'm not talking to you. Remember? You hit me into next week. Check back on tuesday."

She smiled playfully, but still rubbing at the sore spot on her head.

He smiled, though it wasn't completely honest to his emotions. As all his dreams did, he was left rather jaded most mornings..if not most days in general.

"I think we both know there is no way you could go a week without speaking to me."

She laughed, "Curse your infinite wisdom. I should have drank when I was pregnant."

"Mum!"

"Get dressed, we have a flight to catch!"

Aah..

That's right, Ciel thought.

Miles away from London, and days past his revolution he found himself back at home. In a house that barely resembled the one he had left for his jaunt to the capital.

Deirdre, his mother, had taken it upon herself (and he was sure a large amount of workmen to do all of the real work) to get everything packed up for their move. He supposed she thought it an act of kindness, not to see his home being placed into brown boxes.

But the fact remained when he had arrived home, he found himself looking at what was essentially the skeleton of the home he had once knew. Sure, it was recognizable, but it lacked what it once had with it's various nicknacks and photo's and thing that in general make a house a home. Much like a corpse, it lacked that sparkle of life.

And soon the only living being's in the place would be on a plane headed for New York, New York.

----

If everything else on the planet couldn't remind and reinforce Ciel that he was living in the 21st century, one thing assuredly could; The Airport.

Nothing more tedious could be such a perfect reminder.

Madam, please load your bag onto the conveyer belt. Young Sir, please remove your shoes and place them into the bucket along with all jewelery. Madam, please stand on this line. Young sir, please..again..remove all jewelery. Madam, I appologize for the beeping, but the scanner must have picked up on the metal in your underwire. Young sir, please give us your carry on bag, which shall be wiped down and searched for explosives.

"Explosives?! He's just a young boy!"

I assure you Madam, this is just run of the mill procedure.

...No, nothing was quite like the airport experience. But at least there was a Cinnabon near by.

But even with the two hour ungodly long wait that was British Airways procedure, everything to Ciel seemed to be moving at a fast rate. Since his meet with Helena, everything had sort of blurred together. Maybe it was the jolt of actually moving to a new home..in a new country no less that had jaded him somewhat, but he suspected the were deeper forces behind it. Nothing in his life anymore was so straight forward.

Regardless, Ciel found himself with a ticket in a first class luxury liner.

Silly him, he had foolishly assumed given their long flight to their new home, that he and his mother would have some quality time together.

Silly, silly him.

As soon as they were able, Deirdre popped up, grabbed him, placed him in a seat that was not his assigned seating arrangement, told him to 'make friends' and then she was off to the round cocktail bar not far away.

It wasn't as though she was an alcoholic, or that she even drank that much. Generally, she'd sip on the same drink for quite some time. She was an actress at heart, even though she was retired, and bars drew her in like a moth to a flame. Wishing to soak up drunk men and women's life stories.

Usually he didn't mind. But usually he wasn't cooped up in a soaring piece of metal next to a total stranger.

At least the stranger was around his age.

"Ah. Sorry, she's a bit..well. You saw. I'll make my way bac-"

"No, no that's alright! I don't mind at all, my older brother ditched me for the bar too. I'd rather have someone to talk to for awhile. It's a long flight."

"Um. Well er, sure. Not that I have anything else to do..." Besides his laptop of course. But it would be rude to completely blow off this person. But honestly, who would have expected a teenager to have any interest in human interaction?

"Ah, wonderful!" The other person had a look about their face that for unknown reasons made Ciel want to smack it into the seat infront of them.

"So, you have a slight accent...German right? Though your English is almost flawless."

This is called the art of subtle insult. As an Englishman, Ciel prided himself in it.

Though the stranger was having none of that, as their smirk grew.

"Austrian actually. Probably. I was born in Austria and then moved to Germany, and then to England. Glad you approve of my accent though,...?"

"Ah, Ciel. Ciel Ph-...La Mer." The other person tilted his head a bit, it didn't seem as though he was confused, but more highly amused. Almost at times, as though he was looking down on Ciel.

This would not go over well with Ciel.

The other boy could probably sense the dislike coming from Ciel at this point, and his blue grey eyes sparkled with mirth.

"Pleasure to meet you, Ciel. My name is Alois."

---- ..I.. No. I won't end it here like I planned.----

"Alois? That's a very strange name."

"No stranger than Ciel, I think."

"I'm not named after a Nazi."

Alois just laughed at that, and then flicked a piece of pale blonde hair out of his eyes.

"You're mistaken, my little sky. Neither Alois Hitler was a part of the Nazi movement..."

Ciel was very close to a pout at that point. Of course he knew that. He was hoping Alois didn't know that.

"Regardless, and don't call me that ever, I wouldn't look down at a small child and think 'fame and war would be a great name for our newborn'. Stop smiling you have teeth like a vampire."

"Mm. Vampires are Romanian. I'm Austrian remember?"

"Mm. I think the part you are forgetting is that vampires are complete works of fiction."

"You're quite obviously Team Jacob."

"....What?"

"Hmm? Oh. By the way how old are you. I'm 15."

"..13. And again, what?"

"Don't even worry about it. 13 eh? Great years.."

"...I...you're insane aren't you."

"Quite possibly. My butler tells me so all the time, anyway."

Before Ciel could reply the picture he had seen at Helena's popped back into the forefront of his mind.

Butler, eh?

Curious.

"I ..think I'm going to try and sleep through most of the trip. Alois, it was lovely meeting you but you're giving me a headache the size of Manchester.."

"But you'll miss the best part of the drive!'

"For the love of God, we're in a plane. And what best part? It's the Atlantic ocean. The entire way. Just. Ocean."

"We're in the sky, looking at the ocean! It's like we're in your namesake!"

"I now understand why my mother drinks..."

Ciel muttered and reclined his seat turning over so he no longer had to see those icy eyes or flaxen head with absolutely nothing inside.

The second Ciel was turned away that ever present smirk that was biologically ducttaped to Alois' face faded.

'How funny..this boy has no aura. No presense at all...'

Tilting his blonde head to the side the smirk crawled back, quite missing it's master.

'Just like me.... We're two of a kind, little sky.'

--------------see-----------you-------------next--------------------time----------------------------------------------

Author's notes;

(The beginning is a ...MAYBE taste of what's to come. But it has not happened. Sorry people. :'D I know everyone really wants Ciel and Sebby to meet sooner. But. I'm a sadist. ...and it'd screw up the flow. Mostly that.)

ah..Ahaha..I'm going to be slaughtered by everyone who once loved me. Pretty sure. Not only..have I not updated since 2009, I brought in Alois. Who everyone seems to hate XD ( If he acts anything like how I imagine him to, I'll like him. But it's all up in the air at this point. And once the new series comes out will most likely be very OOC. I liked writing Alois as very.. strange. And smirky. But knows more than he lets on. Good ol TrannyTrancy. Oh yes. I shall make that name stick. )

So. Anyway. Covering some things. I have NO idea what boarding procedure is like in the UK. I ..have no idea what first class is like. I've flown many times in coach..and blacked it all because flying scares the beejezuz outta me.

Another thing. Alois' name made me LOL at first since it is the name of Hitler's father and halfbrother. And I do believe it means 'fame and war' great baby name.

I don't know what else I'm going to say besides (TEAMJACO-..wait. no that's not it)

..All the support is amazing.

every review makes my soul cry tears of puppies kittens and rainbows, and ..I don't even know anymore. Seriously. ;A; I love y'all so much.


	6. MiniChapter Inside the Moving Castle

A/N; Yes. I haven't updated in forever. No, this does not mean the story is out of limbo. Yes, it does mean I have no intentions of abandoning it.

...Yes this IS pitifully short. It's meant as an in between piece.

I can't update again very quickly...I am writing a book on contract now, and...it's a weekly job...pretty much everyday and...I really have no time to do anything longer than this. Sorry. My booklette will be done by summer, so maybe I'll write more then.

If you WANT more short little pieces like this, I may be able to do that more frequently. So if you'd prefer longer chapters, it'll be a wait. A long long wait. Tell me if you're fine with short updates. Otherwise it'll be probably late summer/fall before I touch Surface again.

* * *

"I met a boy you know."

Claude turned to look at his master. Alois had been oddly silent after getting picked up from the airport, not to mention his normal cheerful state had seemingly vanished, being replaced by quiet.

Claude was certainly not going to press the matter. He had been bonded to the boy more by force than want ever since re-meeting the child's being years after his death.

Of course this Alois, while not being the same person had the same soul and general appearance. The blonde had no memories, and never pushed the matter. Just accepting in stride 5 individuals approaching him and claiming to want to serve him.

Claude was never entirely certain if the boy was simply stupid or crazy or a bit of both.

"A boy, young sir?" Your Highness applied in the Americas.

Alois continued to stare out the window of their limo. Hannah kept a keen eye, but never said anything. Their relationship was quite different than it once had been. Hannah, while a maid, was obviously nothing close to the sub-servant position she once housed.

Alois himself, was different. He was cheerful, but always aloof. He didn't clutch to those around him, especially Claude...like once in the distant past.

Claude paused at the memory of how his life had been rekindled.

"He sat by me. On the plane..." He seemed to slowly drift off at the memory.

No one in the limousine pushed the matter or prompted him to continue.

"His name..his name was Ciel."

The tone in which the name was spoken was haunting. But it went unnoticed by any of the demons, whom were all shocked into a stupor by the name itself, rather than how it was spoken.

Hannah looked about ready to strike, at what, no one could tell. The triplets turned to themselves, never speaking yet saying plenty.

Claude's breath hitched in his throat.

"...Ciel?..." The slightest sliver of tongue flicked out to touch dry lips.

"Little sky...funny name right..." There was no humor found in his voice.

"I don't think he liked me."

Hannah looked like she wanted to say something, as she did ever so love to play the mother hen with Alois, even if she was possibly the most threatening weapon sheath in the realms.

Aloi slowly turned to the rest of the limousine residents.

"And I don't think I liked him."

His voice was uncharacteristically cold. None of the demons had heard his voice so full of ice and yet so hollow all at the same time. Like a cold breeze reverberating in a glacial chasm.

His light blue eyes were almost clouded over like a dolls, yet there was a knife like sharpness to them.

He looked away from the rest and continued staring out the window.

"I hate the sky..."


	7. MiniChapter Twisted Path Home

AN; Here's another mini-chapter! This isn't a side-story like the previous one with Alois, but it isn't plot centric enough that I'd call it a true chapter.

* * *

The flight had gone smoothly enough, Ciel thought.

Apart from being sat next to the encourageable blonde. Thankfully Ciel had fallen asleep through part of the flight, and awoke with a start when the planed landed safely in New York City.

Everyone was ushered off the plane after grabbing their carry-on's out of the overhead compartment.

Alois nattered away at Ciel's ear, while Ciel just pushed on trying his best to ignore everything around him.

They made it into the sitting/waiting area of the airport after leaving the airplane and the long suspended hallway, where Ciel was desperately hoping to see his mother, who was still no where to be seen. It wasn't as if she could have simply vanished from the aircraft.

"I've got to go now Ciel! Call me when you get to your home so we can play out sometime!" Alois wrapped a slender pale arm around Ciel's shoulders. Ciel stiffened at the touch.

There was no way he would ever intentionally speak to this boy again. He was obviously an insane eccentric. And judging by those shoes, had a penchant for crossdressing.

Ciel watched in silent victorship as the blonde began to trot away with only a handbag at his side. While the boy was underaged, it seemed that no one was there to meet him or pick him up. Though he had mentioned something about a butler.

….Butler...

His thoughts were interrupted when Alois suddenly spun on his heals and waved back to Ciel quite loudly,

"Just joking! I know you won't call! So I got your and your mothers numbers out off your phone while you were asleep! Let's be the best of friends! Adieu, Ciel! Mein Freund!"

Ciel was slack jawed as he watched the blonde disappear around a white wall corner.

He made a very large mental memo to change his phone number.

"Aw, did you make your first friend?" Ah. There was his mother. Deirdre looked elegant as always, and not nearly as frazzled as everyone else who had been on the many hour long flight.

"Not even slightly" Ciel shot back. He may or may not have been one of those individiuals.

For the next hour the small family unit spent their time grabbing their luggage from baggage claim, Ciel being glad he didn't see the annoying Austrian boy from the ride here.

They then arranged their ride to their new home. Deirdre wanted to see New York City, but it was decided that could wait and that it would be best to settle in first, especially after a long flight.

As Ciel got seated in their car, a few of Alois's words rang through his head. Thoughts of a butler in a far off fantastical world filled with undead monsters and unknown creatures.

He shut his eyes once more in the vehicle, much like he had done on the airplane. Ignoring the beeps and curses and blustering and boisterous noise of the outside realms.

It was a restless rest. And a sleepless sleep. His dreams usually felt like muddled memories, while this felt like a disturbed nightmare. Almost as if he was watching a play from another persons eyes.

_He thought he saw Alois, oddly enough. And oddlier he believed himself Alois for a time. But at the same time it was the face of the Alois he knew, yet completely different at the same time._

_And then everything was cloaked in blood._

Deirdre shook Ciel awake. She was smiling softly, but there was a soft crinkle on her brows. She must have noticed something while he slept.

They were home. Or at least, a new home.

* * *

I've decided that I will, obviously, be using the second season of Kuroshitsuji canon. However, the only change against the plot is that Ciel did not become a demon. He died, like he was supposed to at the end of the first, having his life only extended, not saved. Alois died, however his demons never really died, because they are demons. I'll get to that later, and hopefully it'll make more sense. I'm not saying much because I don't want to give away things.

I'm getting into writing these short pieces. Yes I know, it'll be even longer before Ciel and Sebby meet, but at least I'm not waiting a year in-between to update right?

Tell me if you like these short pieces!


	8. A Convoluted Series of Events

AN; This will be a real update, and not just a teaser. I know it's a bit shorter than some of the other true chapters but I'm hoping what I lack in words, I make up for in what is actually going on.

I have some time to right through thursday to sunday usually...as my job requires me working more full time monday through wednesday I really can't afford to take time away from that. Either way, updates may be more often.

My review reply is being iffy lately. Usually I like to reply to my reviews, since I appreciate the support. I'm sorry if I haven't replied to you, I really DO appreciate the comments so veryvery much.

Disclaimer; I own nothing. Any resemblance to actual places or people is completely unintentional...I swear.

* * *

_There was music...turning and dripping in the quiet air._

_Winding it's away across beams and around polls and people to claw its way into someones ear._

_Glassy eyed dolls sat hunched around like trees of a forest._

_Foreboding feelings glinted off of black eyes._

_Feet made no noise as they passed along sweet grass._

_Before …..they sunk into mud._

_Mud so foul, a mix of dirt, blood and tears._

_A crack echoed and something glimmered like a jewel in a creek._

* * *

This was becoming all too common, Ciel thought upon waking.

He had hoped that a new beginning in a new country and a new house would be beneficial to his psyche. It was not, if by anything judging by the crescent moon shaped fingernail impressions he had left in his own palms.

The previous week had been...exhausting to say the least. Ciel found himself in New York, New York as a foreigner, and as someone who didn't entirely want to be in the 'Big Apple'. The movers and real estate manager that had been a occasional presence in the large New York loft always spoke of how lovely the city was.

There was no better place on earth! The proclaimed, regardless of having lived no place else.

Ciel's mother seemed in rapture by the stories of Ellis Island, being Irish herself the stories about the other poor Irish immigrants leaving and trying to find a new life in a odd place seemed to tear at her heart strings.

To Ciel however, this was all meaningless.

His new home was strange, though not entirely horrible truth be told. Though the first many nights he found it hard to sleep in such an alien environment...even if it was already decorated with all of his things from home in England.

They were located in Manhattan in the Upper West Side, not far from Central Park.

It was a lovely place truth be told, and cost a pretty penny. Not that their family didn't have much to spare.

It was an older part of New York and the sites were plenty, and nothing less than amazing on a good day.

However, Ciel did not have many good days. In fact, he was rather anti-good day most of the time.

And today was going to be one of the worst.

School starts today.

He would be beginning school at the very highly proclaimed Anderson School, not more than a few blocks away. It was expensive, and very difficult to get into. But, his family was rich. And with money, all things are made possible.

He would be entering grade 8 halfway through the year to finish up his schooling, before moving to another prestigious high school.

It wasn't long before he was dressed...not in a uniform, which was strange to him, but still well to do clothes. He was ushered down, and into their drivers car.

Ciel began wondering if the upper class of New York was as likely to beat up the short know-it all British boy, as the lower class.

Something told him, yes.

* * *

Sebastian was standing in-front of Ciel Phantomhive's tombstone.

It was in the middle of where the former Phantomhive estate property had once stood.

The wind blew through his inky black hair, and for a moment he thought he had heard the laugher and rokus that had once come from it being carried in the wind.

'How stupid.' He thought, his eyes glancing up to where the Manner had been. Nothing stood there now, the wildlife had taken back the area. There would have been marble and stone left, but it had been recovered after the Blitz by near by people, to help rebuild London.

All's that was left was a green landscape dotted with white, pink and purple wildflowers. And these few tombstones.

It appeared one of the servants must have carved 'Ciel P.' into his stone, as it had once been unmarked when he had left it.

The servants graves were next. They had no need to be buried here, but the connection they had to the area must have prompted them to want to be buried in such a location.

Bard was first to pass, as he was oldest and smoked with a passion. Maylene died in childbirth apparently, and her child was left motherless and was put into an orphanage. He didn't survive WWII. Finny was last, and had his tombstone next to Pluto's. He passed a moderately old age, finally sub-coming to the various experiments on his body as a youth.

"I dug all of these peoples graves...quite sad isn't it? Mr. Demon Sir."

Sebastian didn't acknowledge this. Undertaker was a number of feet behind him.

"I don't feel such things, not towards humans. Would a human pity a bug?"

"Some do...Some do..." An eerie giggle came from the silver haired death gods mouth.

"_I. Do. Not._ That is the difference." Sebastian turned to shoot the other man a blazing glare.

"Hmmmm...If you didn't, why are we here?"

Sebastian's eyes hardened.

"To see if anyone had frequented these graves in the time I have not been here." He shot back, expertly.

Undertaker took a few steps closer, shaking his head. Hair moving in the wind, along with the rags and torn cloth that made up his gothic appearance.

His voice was darker than it had been.

"No. I mean, Why. Are. We. Here. Demon? Your contract was completed. It is no longer your worry if the boy's book has reopened. It is no longer your issue, Demon. Nor is Sebastian still your name, yet you still carry it proudly. You claim you feel nothing towards the beings you view as nothing but worms and insects, yet you keep the name of a dog. A mongrel pet of a human."

Sebastian's eyes flared, his composure was faltering.

"The question is..."

He reached his gloved hand out, and wrapped it around the death god's throat.

"...Are you still the pet of a human?"

He froze. Red eyes widened.

It was true, on some level. He was still bound to long dead humans.

Could he really pretend to himself that he wasn't here at least on some level due to some sort of empathy...some sort of regret?

Sadness?

Longing?

Disgusting.

"I'm returning to New York, and I _will _be making a new contract. Farewell, Death God."

Sebastian removed his hand in a flash, ignoring the smirk on Undertakers pale and stitched face.

"I hope I will never see you again in the eternity to come."

He was gone in a flash.

Undertaker just stood there, waving good-bye.

'Do you really think it'll be that easy?'

* * *

"Young Sir?"

Alois was in the middle of buttoning up his shirt, and turned to look at Claude a few feet away. It was rare for Alois to dress himself. But the boy had been acting strange ever since meeting the boy called 'Ciel' on the plane..or so he claimed.

"Hm?"

"If I may say...you've been acting...are you feeling well?"

Alois paused on a button. And nodded.

"Claude, can I ask you a few things?" His head was hanging down, eyes not looking at anything.

"Yes, of course, young sir."

"Why did you all come to me?"

Claude froze. This had never been addressed, and he figured the blonde was too insane to really process anything like it.

"...I..-"

"..You all just appeared, like magic. And you don't ask for pay, and I know you haven't been doing anything suspect behind my back...besides the whispers..."

"...I can't say." Claude said softly, but firmly. There was too much the boy could get involved in, that need not be meddled with ….someday maybe...but not now. There was just too very much.

"...Alright...can you answer me one more thing though Claude?"

Alois had finished dressing, and walked slowly over to where Claude was standing in the doorway.

Light blue eyes found his own.

"Do you hate me, Claude?"

Words escaped him. He had many feelings towards Alois of the past, and very few were good. This Alois, was different...but was a reminder enough of the needy blonde who clawed at his side every moment desperately seeking approval …...

"Yes."

Alois just seemed to pause for a moment, and tilted his head in as though in thought.

"All right. I'm leaving for school now. I want steak for dinner. Goodbye."

And that was it, the boy passed him by and before the demon really had time to realize what had happened, the front door had opened and closed.

* * *

There was a crash of two people, who weren't looking where they were going. Books and belongings toppled to the sidewalk. People all around them just passed by without noticing. New York was a busy place after all.

"Oiya, what where you're going- HOLY NAKED MEN, YOU'RE HIM!"

Grell Sutcliffe was easily excitable in many many ways, not all entirely PG. But at this moment, it was well worth the exclamation.

He had just ran straight into a teenager. One who was supposed to be dead. One that would be of GREAT interest to Sebastian...Maybe he'd even get a kiss or two or eight in thanks?

His mouth curled into a toothy smile, and his eyes locked onto the shocked, teary blue eyes of the youth in front of him.

"Alois Trancy..."

* * *

"So, how much do your parents make?"

It was the third time Ciel had been asked this since lunch started.

True, he had not had his...lunch money stolen or something like that. There had been no one one pushing him into lockers or beating in his face.

He had underestimated New York's upper class youth though apparently. He turned to look at the two young men and the young woman looking at him a bit down their noses.

"Enough to live in New York and Montreal comfortably...Not to mention getting into a school that wasn't accepting new students..."

Ciel said quietly, voice hard. If his body language appeared bored and uncaring, it was because he was in-fact bored and uncaring.

"My family has three houses. And is going to by me a Bentley for my 16th birthday." The girl shot at him.

So top dog was the richest dog? Fine, he could play this game.

"Your father isn't required to pay the taxes a Englishman is...if he pays taxes at all. Your point is moot."

Ciel allowed himself a smirk at this, he rested his chin on his right palm and flicked a piece of hair out of his face. Inwardly he was a bit disgusted over this. Three homes? Granted he wasn't far behind with a million dollar plus Upper West Side loft, and then his fathers comfy studio in Montreal. Ciel was no stranger to greed and childlike wanting anything that tickled his fancy.

These people simply annoyed him.

The two boys that had been following the conversation closely behind the girl, seemed to exchange glances.

"..That's true. That's pretty fab, where all have you been to in Europe? My family spends every summer in Spain." One of the boys said.

Ciel paused, he wanted to say he had been to numerous countries...and it'd be true. However he didn't want to get overly involved with this bragging rights competition.

"Enough of them...Excuse me for a moment will you?"

He grabbed up his lunch, and headed out to the balcony.

Ah, this was better, he thought. It was a lovely day out; Not too hot and not too cold, and a soft sweet scent from Central Park drifted up rather than the general smell of New York.

He fixed his eyes down on Central Park, it was much like it had been every day he'd been in New York this week. Green, with numerous individuals moving about it. A miniature forest inside one of the biggest and most bustling cities of the world.

A large crow landed in one of the trees.

'No', Ciel corrected, 'a Raven.'

'Huh, how rare, ravens aren't common in these parts...'

This was Ciel's last thought, before someone landed on the guardrail in front of him.

Ciel fell backwards in shock, mouth open in mild horror.

This person was standing completely at ease on the side on a guardrail. They were 4 stories up, and this...person...landed on it.

Where on earth had he come from?

The figure infront of him pushed a lock of dark hair out of his face and adjusted his glasses.

"Ciel Phantomhive."

Ciel's body jerked back into action at that, he skittered to his feet and tried to make it to the door.

A long weapon of sorts was shoved into the door in front of him, millimeters away from skewering his hand.

He turned shakily, knowing he must looked like a spooked deer in headlights.

"Wh-who are you...How do you know that name..?"

"My name is William T. Spears. I am a Death God, and you... shouldn't exist."

* * *

- See you next time.

:'D Reviewer 200 gets a shout out next chapter! (as will 250 and 300 in the coming chapters...if we make it that far!) Also, reviews DO help me write faster. I know that seems stupid but the support means bundles to me


	9. Kill Before Capture

Thanks for getting OVER 200 reviews everyone! As promised, reviewer 200;Thank you Sebastian's Servant Felicia who snagged review the 200th . I'll give reviewer 250 a shout out too!

Of course everyone who reviewed is completely awesome. I'll try to reply to your reviews if at all possible. Keeping in mind I am still working, so my time is kind of spoken for a lot of the time.

* * *

Ciel's heart was hammering in his ears, reminding him of his own life. Which at the moment was being seriously threatened by a strange outside force.

The man in front of him jerked his weapon out of door it was once imbedded in and pulled it back to his side like a staff. Even if Ciel wasn't half scared out of his mind, the man looked like he'd be unpleasant to be around regardless if he was attempting to snuff out the life of another or not.

Ciel's brain attempted to kick start itself in rapid succession, all of which failed as the circumstances around him seemed too strange to fathom.

'William T. Spears' spun his weapon like an expert before delivering what would have been a very nasty, if not lethal blow to the neck. While his senses were not about him, this did not stop his survival instincts from kicking in.

When Ciel saw the weapon beginning to move, he blearily reached over and grabbed a plant potter that was perched soaking up sun on the balcony. He moved it quick enough to smack into the side of the weapon as it moved for his throat, knocking it off balance.

Body finally working, it gave Ciel the opening he needed to scramble to his feet and open the door, before skidding into the hallway. He needn't look at the attacker, just keep moving his body told him.

He had never been much of a runner, so his attempts to sprint down the hallway started with a few slippery steps. He whipped around a corner, smacking into the students from before who looked surprised and wondrous at his panicked expression.

"La Mer, you look positively like you've seen a ghost!" The girl squaked out, semi-amused but mostly curious.

"_Ghost?_" Ciel squeaked before laughing shallowly and shakily.

Is that what it was? Was he being haunted?

_Shouldn't be alive._

"Is that man with you? He looks like a butler or something..." One of the boys was looking around the corner Ciel had just darted around.

'Butler?..No..but..he was wearing...the suit!'

Ciel chanced a glance around the corner, after forcefully shoving the larger boy out of his path of vision.

Coming down the hall with hollow clacking steps was his attacker. Green eyes unwaveringly met his own blue ones.

Time to run again.

"Call security! He's an intruder!" Ciel yelled behind himself, as he ran further down the hall. He had to get to the staircase. His best bet was to get out of the school and out onto the streets, he could catch a cab and get as far away as possible. Hell, he'd take a plane if need be.

...But would that even stop this thing?

His thoughts weren't helping him any and he slide in front of the stair case doorway. It was closed off.

"I'm fairly certain this is a fire hazard..."Ciel muttered, before glancing around. The elevator was behind him. It was more dangerous, and more predictable but it'd get him downstairs faster.

He pushed the DOWN button and waited. And waited. And began sweating quite the plethora of sweat.

"COME ON!" He screamed, his temper raising. The darkness inside him coiling in his stomach, as he slammed his fists onto the wall.

He could hear footsteps approaching.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. Ciel darted inside and hit the DOOR CLOSE button rapidly.

They began to slide shut very slowly, Ciel looked up and saw the 'man' William come around the corner. His heart hadn't ceased it's thump thumping in his breast, but for a moment he couldnt hear or feel anything as the staff like weapon was drawn, spun and aimed for his head.

The doors slammed shut, and the tip of the weapon imbedded itself into the metal. Inches away from Ciel's face. For the second time that day, he fell to his knees out of fear.

The elevator began to move downwards, and it was obvious his attacker pulled the weapon free of getting crushed. Ciel chanced a glance upwards, and saw a flash of green eyes and a grim face.

"What on earth..." he whispered to himself, realizing he was sitting quite splayed across the floor of the elevator that was none too clean. He pulled himself up with the help of a handlebar, as his knees were shaking too hard to stand by himself with no assistance.

"I need to get out of this school...out of this city …or New York will be the death of me."

* * *

Grell paced back and forth in an abandoned shipping crate.

On one hand, he should be doing his duties as a Death God. On the other hand, this was possibly one of the biggest mysteries he'd ever encountered, and likely a great mystery for the higher ups. On the _other _other hand, this would be great for luring Sebastian back to his side. On the other _other __other_ hand, this was likely going to draw out more demons, possibly more than he could handle by himself.

"Where exactly are we?" A small voice asked, Grell's eyes darted to his prisoner. Alois Trancy...or so it appeared.

It didn't take much to capture the lad. After meeting on the street, it just took one quick jerk to pull the boy out of the publics eye on the street and down into a alley way. After that it was simple to knock out the boy and take him somewhere where he could think.

Or try to think anyway.

Alois was looking around, having woken up minutes earlier. There wasn't much to look at, it was just a shipping container after all. But the boy was smart, having gone head to head with Ciel Phantomhive...he was probably listening for ques as to where he could be. Course, if he was as smart as Ciel, he wouldn't have out rightly asked where he was.

"...Across the bridge from Poughkeepsie." Grell muttered back, placing his hands on his hips. He stared straight at the boy...he certainly LOOKED like Alois Trancy...But how could he be certain?

That seemed to get the kids attention, looking up at the red captor with wide blue eyes.

"You...brought me to...New Jersey?...Oh god I AM going to die" Alois hung his head in defeat, blonde hair covering his eyes.

"Oi! Shut up! Tell me, are you Alois Trancy?" Grell wasn't one for beating around the bush. The boy looked up.

"My name is Alois. But my last name is not Trancy. It's Meister." Alois tilted his head to the side, he seemed to be processing information in that towhead of his.

Grell's lips drew to a line, same face and same first name...family name is different...what did it all mean?

"Do you know any demons?"

"My Spanish teacher is pretty mean..."

Grell may have been accused of being annoying as a fly through most of his life, but he was fairly certain he had just met his match.

"No. No! Ugh, this is why I hate kids...you and that stupid eyepatch brat...Do you know a demon named Sebastian?"

He shook his head.

"How about Claude?"

There was a pause this time. "...Claude isn't a demon...none of them are...Hannah most surely couldn't be..."Alois said softly, sounding like he was convincing himself rather than anyone else.

Grell's face split into a very large grin, jackpot. So this was Alois Trancy. The question was, how was he alive and why were demon's still hanging about him.

Grell strode over to the lad that was currently tied up on the floor of the shipping crate. He grabbed a handful of the blonde hair ignoring the boy's yelp and jerked his face upward. With his other free hand, Grell shoved two fingers into the boys mouth and grasped his tongue.

No tattoo. Which means no contract...or at least not the same contract. The boy didn't seem to know anything about the true nature of Claude anyway.

He'd leave the boy here, maybe give him some food and water. He'd find Sebastian, and show him.

Grell knew Sebastian would appreciate it, maybe even let him stick around for awhile without running off the first chance he got.

Yes, he grinned. It was perfect.

"If you're doing this for ransom, you're out of luck. My parents are on Safari for the next year without any outside contact. And my butlers and maids …...Claude won't ever come for me. He...he doesn't care. None of them do." Alois was looking at Grell with iced over eyes. This wasn't the same impatience, annoying loud brat as before. He was certainly annoying, but Grell wondered if a bit of Ciel had rubbed off on the blondes soul...speaking of which...

"Tell me...do you know of a boy named Ciel?"

A slow smile spread over the boys delicate features, turning it into a smirk that would have lesser demons running in fear.

"Know him?...I have his phone number..._and_ his mothers..."

Grell decided he might start to like this boy.

* * *

Ciel tore out the front door of his school, after skittishly glancing around outside his elevator once it reached the bottom level. A teacher tried to stop him as he darted out into the sidewalk, but it was for not. It's not like they knew it was a matter of life and death.

He ran across the street, crossing Columbus Avenue and passing numerous shops out on the open street. He needed to get a taxi, but he needed to get as far away from the school as possible first.

Ciel spotted Central Park, just a block away. He ran towards the safety that he believed would come from the cover of the trees. He had no time to look at the stoops and stair cases leading to homes and shops around him as he ran as fast as he possibly could down West 84th street, before crossing and running down Central Park West.

There were plenty of people, though it would have been more if it hadn't been midday. He ran into Central Park, and ran and ran until all he saw was trees, instead of humans.

It was quiet. Until..

_I whip my hair back and forth. _

_I whip my hair back and forth (just whip it) _

_I whip my hair back and forth. _

_I whip my hair back... _

Ciel looked down at his pocket which was singing to him. He knew for a fact he never set any of his ring tones as that.

He pulled his phone out and looked at the screen, it was a grinning picture of Alois obviously taken at the airport. His mouth drew to a thin line, this really wasn't the time...but the music was set loudly and it'd draw attention to himself if he didn't answer.

"Hello?"

"_Ciel?"_

"Yes, Alois. What do you want, this isn't the time."

Ciel all but growled into the phone, walking towards a large lake. He still couldn't see anyone around him, but he was starting to get a sinking feeling in his stomach...but it wasn't the same as how he had felt when he was attacked by the man in glasses.

"_Ciel. I just wanted to call to let you in on a little secret. But I can't tell you now. Will you meet me somewhere? I'm in St. Patricks Cathedral."_

"No, Alois. I don't want to play any of your games right now. I...I'm I can't talk. Goodbye."

"_I have your mother."_

Ciel froze, and his blood froze as he looked out across the water.

"..wha-"

"_You'll meet me at the cathedral, won't you Ciel?" _

"Alois?...Alois this isn't funny! Alois i'm warning you-"

A small giggle filtered through the phone before it was hung up.

Ciel stared down at the phone before cursing and throwing it into the lake.

What the hell was going on. Was the man who attacked him doing it on Alois' orders? The boy seemed insane, but not dangerous...

Ciel realized after the fact that he wasn't sure how to get to St. Patricks Cathedral, and that his phone that did have a GPS was now with the fishes of Central Park.

He cursed more.

Then a loud metallic clang to his left caught his attention, glancing to the side his eyes widened in fear. He was back.

The man adjusted his glasses before walking forward.

"I recommend you not run again, as my aim gets a bit worse on moving targets. I'm sure you'd rather not slowly bleed to death from messy open gash?" Even the way the man spoke was unnerving.

Not run? Not likely.

Ciel turned and ran for his life the second time in the last 20 minutes. He rounded the curve of the lake, hearing the footsteps growing louder and faster behind him. The weapon the man had was dragging along the guard rail around the lake and making a horrible screeching noise.

Ciel lost his footing and fell to his knees, over a bump in the trail due to a tree root. He scrambled to his knees but he knew it was already too late. The other man had to be close enough behind him to strike.

His life was going to end. Right here, in Central Park.

His stumbling attempts to right his position made him smack right into someone. The metallic noise of weapon dragging along rail ceased suddenly as well.

Ciel shakily looked up, he knew there had been previously no one around. No one in his path.

"Oh dear, I had just given up on you too...This is troublesome.."

Red eyes. Black hair. A gaze that met his own, without wavering.

Ciel whimpered.

The man who had been chasing him had delivered a blow into his right thigh as he had tried to stand, before this new man had even spoke. Ciel was likely beginning to bleed out of the wound in his leg. But he couldn't think of anything else..

"Sebastian..."

A cruel smile split across the face. Eyes demonic, and full of bloodlust.

* * *

Seeyounexttime~

Remember review 250 gets a shout out!, but getting to 250 isn't required! It just makes me very happy, and want to update quicker!

I'd just like to say, regardless of the end of this chapter, the story still has a few more chapters in it before it closes. There's still drama to be had yet!


	10. Chasing the Scent of Destruction

A/N; I better get some props for this being 8 pages long, and over 3000 words.

XD we'll see how long it takes me to update again. My ...new...cat -**new cat that just showed up outside and was probably dumped down the hill by my house-** is pregnant and about to burst ...any day now..soooo...I'll be playin' kitten mama for awhile XD

Not to mention my book is almost done :'D Soooooooooooo Anyway. ENJOY. Annnd remember to review!

Disclaimer; Any similarities to actual people or places is completely unintentional. Any character's used are not my own and I am not making money off of.

* * *

It hadn't been long since Sebastian left the company of the Undertaker, on that godforsaken piece of land in the countryside.

He pondered returning immediately back to New York, but came to the conclusion something else in London had to be taken care of before hand.

If he was truly good and done with all things Ciel Phantomhive related, he had to make sure all connections to the boy's name were destroyed. _Human_ connections anyway.

For the second time, in too short a span of time Sebastian found himself debating the pros and cons of killing Alastair Fennelwick who was currently sniveling about in front of him.

The man was obviously not thrilled with having Sebastian standing in his antique store yet again.

There was no one in the store, Sebastian noted. It would be quite simple to dispose of this loose end.

But it wasn't as though the man knew all that much, truth be told...

"I swear, sir I haven't...I mean. I...excuse me ….I honestly haven't lied about anything! I've told you anything I know! If that damn brat said anything about...well he's lying you know, children these days!-"

Sebastian's eyebrow cocked

"Children like that are...I can't believe some people when ...when they have children, you know. No discipline! Some people just shouldn't exist!"

A crooked smile worked its way onto Sebastian's face.

Though, Sebastian thought, it was about time to reconnect with his true nature.

* * *

"Excuse me? Are you alright? Your hand is bloody."

Sebastian had just exited the antique store into the small back alley of London, he turned to look at the speaker. It was a middle aged woman, coming out of some so called-psychic shop. The Aberlin shop to be exact, he noted. She did look similar.

He shook his head and smiled pleasantly, "No, Ma'am. I'm fine, this isn't my blood. Thank you for your concern." He peeled his now red formerly-white glove off of his hand. What a mess.

She pushed a bit of auburn hair behind her ear and looked at him curiously.

He nodded at her, deciding not to give her time to ponder why his glove was dripping blood

"Do you know Ciel?"

That, he was not expecting. He turned slowly to look at the woman properly.

"He came into my shop recently. Dark hair, blue eyes, about ye high?" She motioned, bringing her hand to about 5foot.

"How..." Sebastian started with his eyes widened by a fraction, this couldn't be right...Ciel Phantomhive was actually here? In London?

**No**. No it didn't matter. So what if the boy is alive, no matter how that may be possible. Sebastian didn't have a contract with him anymore. This is all meaningless.

"I'm sorry Ma'am. He is not of my concern, thank you for your time...Excuse me." He started to turn and walk stiffly down the street. Away from this and away from London.

"He's not here anymore, you know. He moved to New York. Manhattan, I'm assuming." She said, before smiling and waving, "Good luck. Bye bye now...Come on Jerry, we have tea waiting"

A black cat looked at him from it's place beside her feet, as she turned to walk into her shop the cat seemed to sniff the air in his direction before following her.

New York?

Well that _is_ convenient...

His gaze turned sour rapidly,

Grell was in New York...If he came across Ciel...

The skies themselves seemed to darken around the demon, as the air grew deep with atmosphere and the ground itself seemed to envelop him in darkness.

In a flash, the demon was gone from England.

* * *

"I see...alright..Yes, thank you...alright then. Thank you. Yes, we'll be looking...Thank you again..."

Claude paused coming into the dining room, Hannah was talking on the phone to someone, looking rather perturbed about something.

He didn't have to take many guesses as to why, after this mornings conversation with Alois...

Claude's lip turned downwards...He may have been a bit harsh on the child. He was well aware this Alois did not keep any of the previous ones memories. And he was a bit more drawn back than the other...

Either way, the person on the other side of the phone line was likely someone at Alois's school. There had been a number of times in the past where Alois would get worked up into a tiff before leaving for school and then hours later they'd receive a phone call about him acting up in class.

The worst time had been when he stabbed a pencil into another boys hand, just out of sheer boredom and anger. The child's parents had been so upset, it took a fairly sizable donation to the school and family to get them to even keep Alois.

In any regular public school, he would have been expelled. This was the beauty of having very wealthy parents.

"Claude, something's wrong." Hannah's voice broke him from his thoughts. Gold eyes fixed themselves on the tan woman in front of him.

"What did he do now?" He spoke, already beginning to feel a bit annoyed.

"It's what he didn't do...he never made it to school this morning. And I've called him and called him, but he won't pick up his phone...It just rings too, rather than him letting it purposely go to voice mail" She was obviously worried, even one of the most powerful and revered demoness' in the netherworld seemed to fall victim to motherly emotions.

That, was odd. Alois, no matter how upset he had been in the past had never not gone to school. This was most certainly getting strange.

"I'll go look for him then..." He nodded in passing to Hannah, before leaving the house, grabbing his overcoat on the way out. He wouldn't have been hugely surprised if the boy had just grabbed a cab and headed to the Central Park Zoo instead of school, but regardless it was inexcusable behavior.

Within minutes Claude found himself walking the same streets as the one Alois took to his near by high school.

He'd never really get used to the stench of New York. On top of the smells of sewers and streets filled with rubbish and rotting anything, there was an overlying smell of humans. Human stench grown to huge degrees by the compact city and high walls letting very little of it out.

Thankfully it was still much more pleasant than London streets in the 1800's, but not by a huge degree.

There was a reason he rarely went outside.

As he made his way down the side walk, he noted a man selling newspapers on the side of the building.

"Excuse me, have you seen a light haired blonde boy in a school uniform? 15 years old. About 5 foot 3?"

The grizzled old man with the newspaper paused in thought.

"Yeah I have actually. I only remember cus' I thought it was kind of weird. This really...long haired redheaded guy with glasses and...well red everything, smacked into him. Then he yelled something odd and seemed to know him...then he grabbed the boys hand and dragged him down that there alley. It's a dead end, so I was expecting them to come out after a few minutes, you know. But they never did."

The gears in Claudes head began to turn rapidly. What on earth?

Long red hair...glasses...

"...Did the red haired man seem...how do I put this. _**Gay**_?"

The newspaper sales man scratched his beard, "You know I wasn't going to say anything because the boy seemed a bit light in the loafers too...so I thought they were...you know. That's why I didn't want to disturb them...or...walk in on anything."

The spider demons mouth twitched. The idea of Alois and ..._him_ in a back alley in New York? Doing _that_? Disgusting.

But it didn't change anything. Alois went missing, after running into a Death God.

This didn't bode well.

He needed to find them quickly...But he wasn't the best tracker in the world. Especially not in the middle of New York city with a million different smells.

It was time to bring in the triplets.

* * *

Alois looked down at the phone in his hands.

The call he had made to Ciel went better than expected truth be told..

A smirk formed on his young face, for some reason the idea of Ciel getting all freaked out amused him highly. But this probably wasn't the time to get the giggles...

He had been to Saint Patrick's cathedral once before, in his youth for mass, but the blonde had never seen it like this.

Completely empty and devoid of life...well...besides a few certain individuals.

The gothic interior and high arches were all the more beautiful only lit by a few candles in near complete silence. The stain glass windows were glowing from outside daylight.

After being tied up in a shipping crate in Poughkeepsie, Grell decided he needed a more spacious and 'romantic' place to exact his 'revenge' or something like that.

Alois still wasn't entirely certain how the strange redhead knew Ciel.

And all the things he was saying about demons, could it really be true?...

He shivered and wrapped an arm around himself, glancing around fruitlessly.

He may have never seen Saint Patrick's Cathedral without the masses of people in it before...And he couldn't see it now.

Below the church, in the crypt locked up without food or water, Alois had only his cellphone as a lightsorce.

Grell was likely to complete his goal of luring Ciel to this location, and with that, Alois was rendered unnecessary.

With a far too pointed grin, Grell said 'It's not like you should exist anyway..', and with that the crypt was shut and locked after the phone call had been made.

Alois flipped open his cellphone again, and gazed down upon the photo screensaver of himself, Hannah, the triplets and Claude.

"Claude..."

The cellphone flickered once before the battery completely died, leaving the boy in total darkness.

* * *

The trip from England, the netherworld and back again appearing in the back alley of one of the lesser well kept areas of New York was ...interesting to say the least. The River Styx was never the most predictable mode of transportation, but it was certainly the fastest.

Sebastian brushed off his black coat before strolling out onto the main sidewalk, looking around to get a grasp of where he was exactly.

Judging by the amount of poverty stricken buildings and homes in need, he was in East New York.

A few older women in front of a small grocery market gave him an odd look. It probably would be odd to see a young man in a black suit emerge from a back alley, he mused.

"Yo, man, you lost?" A couple young men exited the market and strolled up to Sebastian like they owned the world.

"Actually, I do need a way back to Manhattan."

The youngest of the group, at about 18 smirked.

"I can get a taxi for you, man, but I'll need to hold a 50 for you."

Sebastian tilted his head, and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a handful of golden coins.

"I'm fairly certain this will more than cover it."

The young men seemed surprised before looking closer at the pile of gold.

"Dude what the hell are those?"

"Spanish golden coins, or doubloons as you may call them. About 150$ dollars worth together...I'm sure since they're antique they'd sell for much more than that to a collector, however." Sebastian smirked and jingled them gently in his hands.

The young men seemed to exchange a sort of silent look between them, before someone whispered 'are those real?'

One reached out and grabbed a coin and bit it, before looking back down at the coin and grinning wildly.

"Holy shit, these are real! Thanks man! Hey DeShawn, call Richard we're takin' our new friend into town ourselves!"

The youngest nodded and called back to one of the older women sitting outside the market, 'Yo Nana we're taking Richards ride to Manhattan, you need anything?' The woman shook her head, and Sebastian smiled and nodded at her.

Before long Sebastian found himself in a black 1967 Camaro with 3 other individuals, who were chatting amongst themselves and then decided on questioning Sebastian on everything from how he did his hair to 'where all he was from with that accent of his'.

And before he knew it, the three young men (Deshawn, Martin and Maurice) were waving goodbye to Sebastian as he stood on the sidewalk outside Central Park.

What an interesting day it had been.

The red eyed demon took a long sniff of the air. Apparently, it was about to get even more interesting.

He smelled a Death God.

* * *

He surveyed the scenario for a few moments, before moving into action.

William T. Spears was currently moving quickly towards a running boy who looked suspiciously like Ciel Phantomhive.

And then, the boy was against his chest, small hands bunched in his over coat. His eyes were wide and blue and frightened more than anything he had ever seen.

"Oh dear, I had just given up on you too...This is troublesome.."

The boy had spoken his name too, this was most certainly Ciel, but something was different, very different.

The smell of blood filled his nostrils.

Ciel had been stabbed in the leg by William's weapon, and the deep red liquid was now spilling out of the wound at a worrysome rate.

He had hit an artery...If the boy didn't receive immediate medical attention he'd bleed out in a matter of minutes.

The boy whimpered and crumbled to the ground infront of Sebastian.

William noted the demon with a cool expression, though obviously displeased with being interrupted.

"Demon. I don't wish to fight you, but I shall if need be. My job is done, he'll be dead soon. Your contract is meaningless to us." Will's voice whenever speaking to Sebastian always morphed into one of that you'd use when speaking to something entirely disgusting or revolting.

Sebastian wondered how much of this was due to the long term animosity between Death Gods and Demons, and how much of it was due in part to Grell's obsession with Sebastian, rather than Will.

He smirked.

"What contract? I have no connections with this boy. You don't see me cradling him do you?"

William's eyes flickered down at the boy on the ground, blood starting to pool on the pavement.

"Then why are you here?"

"Curiosity. Do you know why this has happened, why he appears to be back?" Sebastian probed.

Williams seemed to pause at this, it was obvious he was wondering just how much information he should be telling the _enemy_.

"..No. Only the higher ups know, if they know at all. I'm just following orders. He and the other one needs to die."

"Other one?"

"Alois Trancy. He's here in New York as well." _That_ surprised Sebastian. And worried him somewhat, there was certainly the possibility of Claude and the other demons showing up as well. Glancing down at the injured boy on the ground, he noted that the blood spilling from him was likely to be a beacon to any nearby demons as well.

"Hmm...I see. Who else knows about this?"

"Myself and the officials. It's my soul duty to depose of the left over waste."

Sebastian nodded softly to himself, that makes sense. It didn't seem like Grell knew anything when he left him the last time... Oh well, time to work.

In a blink of an eye Sebastian had landed a kick square into Williams chest, knocking him a number of feet backwards.

"You best run off before more of my kind show up.." Sebastian sent William a toothy grin of his own.

Will's mouth went from a pained expression to a drawn line, "We'll meet again." and the Death God was gone from sight.

Sebastian turned his own eyes back on Ciel, laying still on the ground. His chest wasn't moving much at all anymore, but he was still alive for the time being.

Moving next to the boy and crouching down next to the dark haired child, Sebastian pulled something out of his inner breast pocket.

A sewing kit.

Removing a needle and thread, his red eyes fixed on the gash on the boys leg.

An interesting day indeed.

* * *

It had only been moments before that Claude had sent the triplets out on to trail Alois, or the red Death God.

The trail was apparently leading them north, towards Albany, so Claude began moving in that direction as well. Until something quite strong hit him.

A smell.

A very familiar smell.

Gold eyes dilated and focused on the mass of trees and paths that was Central Park. Now, his sense of smell was degraded in the big city but this scent was so strong it was almost overpowering. Even from such a distance

This was the smell of Ciel Phantomhive's blood.

* * *

-Seeyounexttime-

Reviewreviewreview~


	11. Shattered Thoughts

A/N; Everyone is going to hate me for this XD Not only is it a Not-Chapter, but it focuses on Alois. This is a backstory... kind of. I honestly intended to have Alois play a very very minor role, and yet...this happened. This is still relevant to the plot as a whole.

I know Alois is a character a lot of people really despise, so I doubt this chapter is going to be a favorite of many people. (I actually like Alois more than Ciel. Ironic right? I think thats why I kept him in the story XD)

Disclaimer; I own nothing.

* * *

_The grass was chilly,but the warmth spreading from his side chilled him much faster._

_The sweet earth was thick with metal._

_His savior._

_Hands a tender touch of death._

_Slipping to the ground, the blood made it a dark mudded web of emotions._

* * *

Alois sat up in bed, glancing around in the dark. Well it wasn't completely dark anyway, he had a blue nightlight off in the corner of his room.

He rubbed his tired blue eyes. These dreams were becoming a bother.

The six year old blonde boy moved to get out of his bed. Falling the short drop to touch his small feet against the cold hard floor. His nightdress was bunched up with the blankets and took a sharp tug to get loose.

He padded down the hallway from his room. It was a long walk to his parents room, and never a fun one. Alois looked around rapidly, paranoid from the dream before. Paranoid from all of the dreams, really.

Something was most definitely wrong with him. None of the other kids at school ever had nightmares like this.

Nightmares are what they were right? Not just dreams, surely not dreams.

His thoughts were cut short when he arrived at his parents doorway. The door was closed, but there was a low golden lights spilling out from under the crack.

Whispers.

He was a curious boy, and pressed his ear against the door. Memories of the nightmares temporarily forgotten.

_'Johan, it's strange isn't it? Boys his age don't dream of monsters and dying. Certainly not ….not...these things! He dreams of essentially a holocaust..almost every night!'_

_'Ana, what am I supposed to do? We've taken him to the best people we possibly can. They've been of no help.'_

_'Maybe...maybe a change of scenery? Let's move dear. Let's move somewhere we've always wanted to travel? What about London! Or Peru! Or even New York!'_

_'...I'll think about it...' _

Alois stepped back from the door, body running cold.

They were leaving home? Leaving Austria?

Because of him?

It was all his fault.

He brought a small hand up to his mouth, suddenly feeling like he'd be violently ill. Knee's dropping onto the hallway rug, he spat up blood. Tear's leaking from wide light eyes.

* * *

They had been living in London for a few years, the language was easy enough to get a hang of as Alois had been taught basic English in school for years anyway. He had an accent at first, but was slowly loosing any trace of his native lands.

The ten year old kicked his feet back and forth, sitting with legs over the landing in their new home. He was _so_ very bored.

He had no real friends here, not in England anyway. He barely had any friends in Austria either. Alois frowned.

So what. He didn't need them. He had a family who loved him, a family that moved across the continent to a new country to help him.

_But it never did help did it?_ A little voice pipped up inside his head. He didn't like this voice. It wasn't his voice either. It was someone else, talking in his head. So snidely, so full of self worth.

He'd heard this voice before, in his dreams. But never a face.

It was true though, moving solved none of his problems. Of course it didn't worsen them either. So that was one thing.

Alois picked up the pack of snapping fireworks, and tossed one down the landing onto the floor. It made the snapping bang, as it should, right next to his caretakers feet.

Mum n Dad were out on business. Well, it was more of a vacation...but for adults. And certainly it was business related right?

He had heard them talking again, about moving once more. To New York, in America. For business.

They'd be even more busy, and he'd see them less than he did now.

….

Less than he did now? He barely saw them at all...

Except when they were dragging him to a psychologist, or a doctor or lord knows whatever else specialist they'd take him to, just to see what was wrong with their darling boy.

They didn't take him to school. He didn't even go to school anymore, no matter how much he wanted to get out of the house and see the world again.

Alois had rarely gotten the chance to leave their property, except for the unpleasant visits to specialists.

He remembered the days his parents would walk him down the street, hand in hand with him. Swinging him up and down while they took him to his preschool.

They always laughed, and smiled. Sometimes they even danced in the streets. Or at home, he loved learning how to dance by watching his mom and dad.

They never smiled at him anymore. They looked at him like he was a sad creature. Then they'd look at each other like they've done something wrong.

He didn't care. Not really. He may not have liked being looked at like he was pitiful.

But it didn't matter.

...They never looked at him much anymore...

He angrily threw the entire bag of snappers at the caretaker.

* * *

Alois was thirteen when he felt completely broken.

Not shortly after his eleventh birthday, his family moved to New York city. It was an impressive home, and his family had obtained a certain kind of impressive wealth that went far in America.

Family.

Not much of one really, he sniffed. Rubbing a cold nose.

His mother seemingly broke as well, around his twelfth birthday. She couldn't take the bore of having such a strange child, one that never improved. She had seemingly failed as a parent. And it destroyed her.

His mother breaking down, unable to even so much as gaze upon her son anymore, was corrosive on his father as well.

He was beginning to grow contempt for the boy, for his own son. His son who hadn't even reached puberty yet. And this contempt, for his own boy began eating away at the mind of his father as well. Surely soon he'd reach a place much like his mother.

His mothers state of mind deteriorating, and his father's slowly spiraling thoughts ended up with a heavy decision.

They would be taking long trips abroad.

It was disguised as help for Alois. As thought, possibly being away from his family would actually help him get rid of those pesky nightmares that never seemed to cease for long. They had tried everything else, so maybe this was the answer.

Of course, Alois had been left by himself many times over the last few years. Vacation, anniversary, business...no matter what the mask was, it was always just a way to get away from him.

This was merely a more severe way of cutting ties.

This particular first trip, they'd be leaving for Peru. His mother always wanted to visit Peru.

It would be close to three months with no contact other than letters and postcards. They said 'wouldn't it be interesting to live like the olden days?' but what they meant was 'I can't stand to see your face or hear your voice.'

At least he got to go to school again. It was one small saving grace.

And he loved his school. He loved being in New York schools, the big apple had some of the best schools on the planet...for those who could afford it. The public school system, being some of the worst in the nation in areas.

He never missed a day. It was his only real connection to the outside world. In England he rarely left home, let alone got into the big city. In New York, when he did the simple act of merely going to school he was emerged completely in a large city environment.

And this week, they were paying a class field trip to Sam's Point Preserve, a sprawling area that was well known for it's ice caves. They were on a informational hiking trip, and it was entertaining. Alois really hadn't made any great friends...but being here with so many people was the most fun he'd had in years.

That was, until he opened one of the letter's he had received from his parents. Alois figured, it was a great day...the letter was a week old but he hadn't felt like opening until now.

But what could ruin his mood now?

It was just close to sunset now.

He ripped the letter open, to reveal simply a postcard inside and a simple 'Love you, - Mom &Dad' note.

This was the day he broke.

The postcard was made from a picture of his parents in Peru.

They were smiling happily, holding hands and it looked like they had been laughing.

Things they hadn't done around him in years.

They were happier off without him, this was a thought that was alien to him.

He was thirteen.

Alois looked down. He had made it up to the top of the hiking trail, which was on a high cliff face. They were supposed to have a buddy-system of two children...but his 'buddy' ran off to be with their own friends. He was alone.

On a cliff.

His hand clenched around the photograph, crumpling it around the small palm.

His foot inched forward.

He'd never smile or laugh with his family again. He'd never dance with them again.

And they'd be better off without him...they WERE better off without him...

Maybe it wasn't them who had failed as parents, but him who had failed the task of simply being a child.

He moved closer still to the cliff face. Alois was right on the edge, ground crunched under one of his feet. Small rocks and pebbles were dislodged and displaced and tumbled down into the abyss.

Suddenly a firm hand wrapped around his upper arm.

He looked back with wide, tear spotted eyes, expecting a teacher.

There was a group of 5 adults in front of him.

Three young adults seemed to be triplets...a long haired tanned woman smiled at him softly, and sadly.

And the man who was holding his arm. A man with colder golden eyes than the ice caves below and glasses that made them brighter.

"Alois, it's time to come back home" The woman spoke softly.

"Who.._Are_... you?" Alois whispered.

"We're...you're new servants." The man holding him said, voice as chilly as the rest of him, even though his fingers seemed as though they were burning Alois.

* * *

Alois slammed his fists up against the crypt's door. He could tell his hands were bleeding from the repeated action.

It was pointless, but he wasn't about to give up the only thing he had anymore.

Even if Claude and the others didn't care about him. They were precious to him.

He loved them. He could smile, and laugh...he could dance with them sometimes...

Alois smiled in the dark. Though Claude never enjoyed it.

He had just began to pick back up the pieces, and he wasn't about to let it go again. Not to some red haired supposed God of Death, and certainly not to Ciel La Mer whose voice sounded suspiciously like that pesky voice inside his head.

If they didn't come for him, he'd surely return to them.

Even if it meant that he'd bleed all the blood out of his body first.

* * *

A/N: Well _that_ was depressing. This isn't a REAL chapter. But yeah. It was still 6 pages, and I wasn't even going to write anything on surface for awhile :'D ….it's apparently easier for me to write this than it is my book XD oh well.

Have a good week everybody. I know a lot of people are graduating! ..I'm not because I'm old. But yeah XD

:'D review please!...you don't have to. I just really like getting reviews XD


	12. Red, Blue and Bruised

A/N; Finaally back! My book is 99% done, but most importantly i'm not working on it every week, so it's not eating up my time as much anymore. Mostly what's been distracting me is other fanfics XD (some of you who have me on author alert might have notice I wrote something for Teen Wolf, as I greatly enjoy shows ….thats...only redeeming factor is the attractive homoeroticism :'D )

For those who are curious, as I wrote in my AN notes the last two chaps, my pregnant cat is no longer pregnant! She had 4 kittens, one of which was a stillborn ;3; The rest however, are beautiful and doing well :'D 2 siamese and one lil tabby. The mom has done a wonderful job for her first **and only** litter.

* * *

Even though his eyes were not open it was blindingly white.

He heard everything, and nothing.

Sirens, beeps and buzzes mixed in with the cold silence around him.

Everything hurt, yet everything was numb.

It was strange, truth be told, his dreams never felt so real...

In fact...it was almost like he wasn't dreaming at all...

Maybe he was dead...

"Oh, my. Are you awake?"

….Okay, maybe this wasn't a dream _or_ heaven

Ciel cracked one blue eye open partially, and winced as there was an onslaught of bright lights on his sight. The blur that accompanied newly woken individuals faded to clear, as a nurse came into focus in front of him. Standing above him was more like it.

Both eyes wide open now, and senses on high alert, his body tried to take in everything as fast as possible.

He was in a hospital, that much was obvious from the white room, nurse and smell of rubbing alcohol.

But why was he in a hospital?

He looked over, and eye's locked on the IV connected to his arm. He had apparently lost blood. It was type O on the bag, which meant they didn't have enough information about him to supply him with his actual blood type; AB-. O, being the universal donor was the safest choice.

So why had he lost so much blood?

"Could you tell us your name and how you received that wound to the back of you leg, dear?" the nurse prompted him, smiling kindly, but with a hint of worry. While Ciel couldn't remember at the moment, it was highly unsettling to the older nurse to see such a young boy with such a serious wound. It wasn't the kind of wound one got from playing at the park.

Ciel blinked.

Back of his leg? That made sense, his leg had been killing him...why hadn't he noticed until now? Another IV with a morphine line answered his question.

Leg...leg...le-

Memories flashed across his mind.

The man at his school, running through Central Park despite his asthma, tripping...being stabbed by the mystery man ….falling against someone...

Red eyes...

Ciel sat up to the best of his ability, and turned his focus on the nurse, "Did someone bring me here...or was I found?'

She looked surprised but answered, "No..a dark haired young man brought you in. Probably saved your life...but he wouldn't answer any questions. When we called in the police, he was gone."

The nurse didn't include the fact that it was more like the dark haired man had simply vanished. Here one second, turn, gone the next. The mystery deepened when the officers had a look at their security footage to get a good look at the guy in case they needed to post an APB. However, when they looked at the security tapes, the man was no where to be seen, regardless of having been in the area with the video not on a loop as though it had been hacked. There was a very gentle dimming of the picture, and that was the only indication anything was different with the tapes. One of her fellow nurses had been working there for 20 years,and had never heard of anything like that happening, began referring to the man as 'el negro diablo'.

Regardless of the mystery surrounding the case, it was impossible to deny to any of the medical workers that the man had saved the boys life. With nothing much more than a sowing kit.

It looked as though the man and sewn up the wound, like one would do with stitches to prevent further bleeding out, and then made a tight tourniquet to slow blood flow and to put pressure on the wound. All of this while in the middle of New York's down town, before or even _while_ hailing an ambulance.

The boy had lost enough blood they weren't sure he'd make it either way. But even in under 5 hours, the boy seemed to have made a wonderful come back and even shown signs of healing. No one was sure how, but the nurses station was all a flutter that 'el negro diablo' had something to do with it.

Ciel himself was understandably confused, even without the knowledge of the mysteries following his injury. Attacked and then possibly saved by a man who looked even more threatening than the person who had caused the injury.

"Could you tell us your name, address and phone number, dear? We need to contact your guardians, and get medical card information...Oh, and do you know your blood type?" The nurse prodded, if nothing else she prided herself in a job well done, as she picked up the nearly blank clipboard at the end of his hospital bed.

Ciel frowned, train of thought thrown off by stand regulatory business questions.

"I'm AB negative..and my name is Ci-"

A loud beeping sound came from the woman's pager, red flashing light and a buzz accompanying it.

She cursed silently, and ran out of the room. It was apparent someone else needed more dire help, pushing Ciel's identity priority far down the list.

He looked around his hospital room, which was apparently just a single bed room, with a window view. It would have been quiet if the heavy door had been shut. He glanced to the bathroom door, suddenly desperate for a drink of water. Sitting up fully to the best of his ability, careful not to tug out his IV cords, he attempted to swing his leg over the side of the bed.

It was for not, he immediately hissed and yelped in pain. His wound still far too fresh to be moved upon. It was likely even if he got to a standing position, his leg would give out. He'd rather be laying on the bed, rather than a cold hospital floor.

And then Ciel heard the heavy door close to his other side, and swung his head around figuring it to be the nurse.

It wasn't.

His eye's immediately fixed on the very man that was the last thing he saw before he passed out due to blood loss and shock.

Ciel couldn't speak and couldn't move. The lights in the room flickered off, leaving nothing but the light outside as illumination.

There, in the shadows of the doorway the man stood. Dark, and foreboding with gleaming mischievous red eyes and an ever present smile that came off more as a cruel smirk.

"Glad to see you're doing well...Though it appears the work isn't finished is it?"

That voice. Why was it so familiar?

It took Ciel a moment to realize the dark haired man was only partially speaking to him. And partially speaking to his company, of whom Ciel did not take notice of until now.

There was a small...man? Man..thing standing besides the other. Unlike the well kept and very prim looking taller gentleman, this thing was short and dirty with curved fingers and what were apparently small horns sticking out of the top of his head.

"What the hell are you?" Ciel breathed out, focus switching to the odd little creature.

"I think it would be more fit to ask what IN hell is he." Ciel's eyes darted back to the taller man. Much like the last number of times his eyes trained upon him there was a certain pulling in his gut. Familiarity, and sadness perhaps.

"I'ma goblin, imp or a lower demon or'ra whatever ya wanna call me. Whichever you have it, don't matter none. I'm doin' him a favor here with you there. So sit back'n'don't scream too loud right?"

The thing took a few steps forward, and it's greasy little hooked hands began to glow a very strange sickly green color.

Ciel blinked a few times as though he was trying to rid himself of such a vision.

"You... can't ...possibly expect me _not_ to scream." He spoke out very slowly as though he was speaking to a very slow child.

"No, but it doesn't really matter."

A hand clamped down over Ciel's mouth. Panic set in and he began to struggle as hard as he could against the offending thing. He never even noticed the taller man moving until he was behind him and had a gloved hand over his mouth.

He looked up with wide blue eyes dilated in fright, to meet calm and amused red eyes.

This couldn't end well.

* * *

Claude crouched down, fingers dipping down to a half dried spot of what would have been a good sized puddle of blood. With a feathering touch, his digits traced over the area as though trying to make sense of what had happened.

Gold eyes surveyed the spot with the keen vision of a crime scene detective. He slowly stood back up, and let his thoughts wander.

The retaining wall for the lake had been damaged a few steps back for a number of feet along the wall. It looked as though someone had dragged a heavy piece of metal across it...and then used it to attack the individual that had bled out onto the ground.

That individual being Ciel Phantomhive...or at least someone with very similar blood. The person being Ciel himself wasn't that far fetched given Claude lived with Alois.

And it seemed like he wasn't the only demon to have found their ward. He could smell Sebastian's scent still lingering in the air, it was likely the real reason Ciel's body wasn't laying here cold and dead on the ground was due to his butler..or..former butler as the case may be...

Claude wasn't about to seek out another fight with Sebastian over Ciel's soul. It wasn't even likely that the boy would be willing to sell it, Alois hadn't. Claude was tied to servitude with the boy for other reasons, he thought with a slight frown.

But still, it brought up a very uneasy dilemma. Did he search out Alois still, or did he search out the other demon of whom he did not have a great past with, with the thought that the other may know more than Claude did?

He heard a few light noises to his left and turned his gaze upon the triplets.

"And?"

They exchanged a few glances,

"We tracked it up to Poughkeepsie, then the trail stopped." "We tracked it and then it stopped" "I bet the stupid kid is dead. That'd be funny."

Claude fixed the three brothers with a certain look he usually only gave to things that annoyed him in such a way that he was willing to crush them with a single thumb.

"It's likely they doubled back. His scent's still strongest in New York." "They doubled back, most likely. Still smells here." "I'm still hoping he's dead."

Doubled back? But why?...Claude hummed in thought before he realized, if he hadn't been the only one to notice Sebastian's presence in New York city it would be likely that Grell would have headed back in this direction anyway...

And if Alois' scent was following Grell's movements it was likely that the boy wasn't doing it by free will.

"And we just found this." "We found it." "Who'd throw a phone into a lake. Stupid."

The triplets held out a slightly damp cellphone, thankfully it was a well crafted piece, rather than the phones that broke just by simply looking at them. It helped it was wrapped in some sort of protective clear plastic or rubber casing, which kept a good portion of the water out.

The phone was still not in good shape however, the screen flickered and spazzed as water slowly ate out it's fragile electronic pieces.

But, they could see what they needed to see, the 'Last Call' page.

Claude frowned.

This was Alois' cellphone number.

It appeared as though the boy himself knew more than he was letting on. And if that was the case just how much did he know...or remember?

He recalled Alois mentioning a boy named Ciel, when Alois came back from his flight...But Claude didn't think too much of it at the time, and now he was realizing maybe he should have.

Alois was in touch with Ciel Phantomhive, without his knowledge. Now Alois was with a Death God, and it appeared as though another death god or demon attacked Ciel who was rescued by Sebastian...

What did it all mean, and why was there a sudden emergence of attacks by the Death Gods?

Then Claude wondered if Ciel and Alois had been the targets at all...that sort of force seemed strange if it was only directed at eradicating two young human boys. Could it have been a plot to get rid of Sebastian? Was kidnapping Alois a plot to get rid of himself and the other demons?

...Was Alois even kidnapped at all?

A distant memory formed in Claude's head, one of his hands snapping the fragile neck of Alois...the blood that spilled and how his eyes light slowly faded out like a dying star.

….If Alois was remembering more than he let on, could he even be doing this for revenge?

Claude made up his mind, he needed to find and address the state of the attack, to Sebastian, to see if this was the Death God's targeting their wards, or targeting they themselves. And it was highly possible Ciel would know something about Alois as well...

He turned to the triplets again.

"Find Ciel Phantomhive, or Sebastian Michelis. Either one should be with the other"...Like old times.

The triplets glanced to each other again.

"We already did." "Yeah. Did it already." "He's at Mountain Heart Hospital, about 2 minutes away. But so is the demon. And something else."

Claude cocked an eyebrow, "Something else?"

Another secretive glance between the three.

"It smells like...Styx was opened."

Claude was speechless for the first time in a long time.

What had happened that was so serious, and Sebastian so desperate that he'd recruit help from hell?

* * *

"Hey brat, what's taking them so long? I thought you said the call went through! Why isn't the _other_ brat here already?"

Grell flung open the heavy door to the crypt like it was mere cardboard. All of his movements had a certain amount of finesse' and style to them, that was only slightly over necessary. Red hair flying with the movement, and a permanent 'You vex me' look upon his face, Grell gazed down upon the body of Alois Trancy.

Alois had previously been desperately trying to find some way out, or to get the door to budge just enough that he could wedge it open, when he heard the tell tale footsteps coming down the stairs.

He moved quickly to recline in a relaxed position in the crypt, looking all the while like someone who just didn't give a shit about anything.

He turned his gaze up upon his red haired bespectacled captor and with a lazy smirk, he tossed his cellphone up at him. Grell caught it with ease.

"I did, but you know Ciel. You _do_ know him right? I doubt he would have fallen for that...But by all means use my phone to call him again. Of course the battery is dead though." He gave a cheeky smile. It wouldn't take even the best of eyes to notice Alois' hands were shaking, and fingers bloody, but Grell was more wrapped up in himself to notice the boys act.

Grell stomped his foot and angrily blew a piece of hair out of his eyes. It had been a few hours now, with no sign of Ciel and more importantly no sign of Sebastian.

At this rate, he'd have to drop the dramatics and go out looking himself. But leaving Trancy here like this could be a pain...

Grell cocked his head to the side. He was a death god after all, a reaper of souls.

And Alois most certainly shouldn't still be alive, he realized that much early on. Not like the other one...

But...He didn't want 5 angry demons after his quite cute if he may say so, behind.

A thought slowly started to form in his mind, a cruel devious plan.

If he reaped the boys soul, and used his weapon, it would be like a Death God calling card to the demons.

However...if he just simply _killed_ the boy...they might not ever find out who did it.

Red wasn't his color after all, Grell thought with a smirk, looking down into Alois' eyes. Maybe a blue or purple would fit him best.

And so he wrapped one strong hand around the boys throat.

* * *

Ciel hadn't realized he had passed out until he came to again. This time, his memory didn't take nearly as long to come rushing back to him.

He sat up fast, with panicked eyes like a rabbit fearing a fox.

"E' heal's up well donn't he, Sebastian?"

Ciel made a not so masculine eep-ing sound as he focused again on that hideous little man, he was half hoping was some sort of drug induced nightmare.

"He does indeed..., Thank you Jennis..That will be all for now."

The man called 'Sebastian', pulled out of the shadows. He was either a truly dark and horrifying being, or simply enjoyed dramatic entrances. Maybe a bit of both.

He smiled a smile at Ciel that was of unidentified emotion. It was neither angry, or happy, or calm or worried. It was like a mask, with a monster preening it's wings below the surface.

"Who are you people?" Ciel said firmly. He may have been 13, in a hospital gown, with a gimpy leg but he sure as hell wasn't going to let these _things_ take complete control.

The being called Jennis let out a oily little bark of laughter, before nodding to Sebastian.

"I'll be takin' my leave now then."

Sebastian held out a hand, a universal 'wait' motion. Jennis and Ciel both exchanged slightly confused looks as the tallest of the three seemed distracted by something.

Sebastian's eyes were no longer focused on Ciel, but something else entirely.

"Actually, I may require your assistance for a minute more. Could you take Ciel here into the bathroom and lock the door? I'm afraid we have a not so friendly visitor..."

Sebastian snapped out of it, but there was just a hint more urgency to his voice than usual. But it wouldn't have been picked up on except by individuals that knew him well.

Ciel heard it though.

But before he could think on that greatly he suddenly realized this could be serial killer just told this vile little imp to LOCK him in the bathroom with IT.

"Oh, no no no no no you are not-!"

Ciel didn't have time to do more than wave his hands back and forth, face showing his shock. He was grabbed up by the deceptively strong Jennis, and tossed over the things shoulder like a bag of potatoes.

Ciel yelped and tried desperately to cover his bare backside with one hand and fight against the being with the other hand. It was for not, and before he knew it he was dropped into the shallow hospital bathtub, and Jennis slammed the door shut.

As the door was closing Ciel caught the eye of Sebastian outside of the bathroom, and he found himself wondering with whom he was safer with.

* * *

Sebastian sighed deeply. It may have been a way of keeping Ciel out of the line of fire, but a locked door and Jennis weren't enough to keep the intruders out if Sebastian were to fall.

So, he reasoned. He'd just have to …._convince_ them to leave first.

He turned to the door leading into the hospitals hallway. The lights flickered.

"It's been awhile."

Sebastian smiled familiarly at Claude Faustus flanked by three demonic shadows.

- Seeyounexttime~

* * *

AN; If I don't respond to reviews immediately, it's because I'm without internet, except when I can get to a WIFI spot for...lord knows how much longer. I've already been without for close to 2 weeks now XD

Um..I don't know what else really to say. Jennis is my own character, and won't be in the story much. He's a minor demon that looks a bit like a troll crossed with a cheeseburger, and if you're trying to picture his accent I imagine it somewhat like someone with a really heavy bronx accent, pretending to so a heavy cockney accent.

Grell might seem like a bad guy in this, but he's really not the main focus of the story as far as antagonists go. I like to think he's no worse than his actual character..which one might remember, enjoyed slaughtering people XD Everyone in Kuro could be an antagonist if you're viewing them from a certain perspective.

Review pretty please?

I may end up writing another chapter in the next few days if I don't have internet still XD :'D I'll write faster though if I get reviews~


	13. Business as UnUsual

AN; I started this mid july when I was didn't have any internet, and shockingly when I got my internet back...I...completely forgot about it XD

Sooooorrry (my kittens are so big now! The little girl went to a wonderful home and I have both the boys :'D ...and one of the siamese took a weird fucking change and went from being siamese colored, to now being striped and spotted and snow footed like a weird tabby ...- cat genetics are confusing. Theyre also hugeeeeee. at near 5 months old they already have big or bigger feet than my full grown kitties. They weigh like..6-8 pounds already too not a bit of fat on them either!)

Warning and Disclaimers stay same chapter to chapter.

* * *

.

Ciel shivered against the cool plastic material of the bathtub he was in, his flimsy hospital sanctioned gown doing nothing to keep heat in whatsoever.

At the moment, it was of little importance as he strained his ear in attempts to hear anything outside the small room.

Since the foul being called Jennis hadn't made any attempts to beat him, kill him, rape him or steal his entrails, Ciel was beginning to come to the conclusion this strange act of being forced into a locked room was done for his own well being.

He couldn't tell you why, but it seemed as thought the mysterious man in the black suit had saved him once already and was attempting to continue to do so.

Ciel was beginning to think this...Jennis thing, had been brought in to help him as well.

The wound on the back of his leg was even less painful than before, and seemed to be healing quickly, almost fast enough to walk on. Which was completely insane, he had only just been injured a mere...5 and a half hours ago. The sun wasn't even set yet, and somehow a wound that had him almost dead on the Central Park streets was healed to this degree.

If the thing hadn't addressed itself as a demon, as well as the taller man's 'hell' pun, Ciel would have guessed the thing to be some sort of strange government experiment. But now it was feeling more and more like some sort of..dare he say, degenerate magic.

His thoughts drifted to Helena's shop back in London. It wasn't that long ago that he completely scoffed at the entire idea of anything supernatural, and here he was sitting in New York with a glorified garden gnome.

He flicked his deep blue eyes to lay upon the noisome Jennis, who was currently propped up against the sink. He had an air of ambiguity and a lack of care, but the things eyes were looking at the door.

"Hey..why are we in here...?" Ciel whispered as softly as he could, well aware the accoustics of the bathroom would help amplify his voice. Jennis looked at him for a moment, powerful jaws clenched.

"Well I'ninhere cus I owe Sebastian sunthin. You there, you in here cus' you're intrestin to Sebastian I guess. N' he don't need you getting snapped up by them."

Ciel pulled his legs a bit closer to his body, cold starting to take effect, or maybe it was this things horrible grammar making him shiver. "Them? Who is them?"

Jennis tilted it's head, and took a deep breath.

"Smells like Spider's to me."

Ciel frowned deeply. Spiders? As in Arachnid, spiders? What possible threat could a few 8 legged bugs pose?

* * *

Claude nodded curtly to Sebastian, as the triplets whispered unkindly things behind him.

"I'm guessing you have Ciel Phantomhive in there? Accompanied by something from Styx it smells like..." Claude brushed off a bit of dirt on his jacket, the image of a calm gentleman. Readjusting his spectacles he glances back up at Sebastian.

Sebastian seemed amused, but did not respond.

"A hell hound perhaps?"

A chuckle, "Not quite. An old friend."

Claude let one perfect eyebrow raise, it wasn't entirely usual for a high class demon such as Sebastian to muck around with the beings of Styx. They often kept hellhounds, but even then it was rare. Even rarer still for Sebastian to be connected to a general inhabitant.

But, the important factor was Sebastian hadn't said no to having Ciel locked away.

"I don't want the boy. I just have a few questions for you..." Claude spoke snidely, desperately trying to ignore the smell of Ciel's dried blood on the bed a few feet away.

"Regarding Alois, I'm assuming?" Sebastian spoke, he didn't trust Claude's claim that he didn't want Ciel, but knowing that the other curious about something relating to Alois was a step in the right direction he noted. Before, Claude seemed more about using Alois as a means to an end, rather than any fondness for the boy himself while it was obvious the boy deeply loved Claude.

His motives now were a mystery, as Alois himself died much like Ciel had, and both packs were rendered void.

"How much do you know about Alois?" Claude's eyes narrowed, not thrilled with the idea of Sebastian knowing more about his ward than he did.

"Not much, just that he was in New York...And that the Death Gods are out for his head. And Ciel's for that matter..." Sebastian replied curtly, and heard a shuffle from the bathroom. It was impossible that it had gone unnoticed by the four individuals, but Claude at least seemed distracted by something else.

The bespectacled man cursed in a dark and long dead language.

"The red Death God I believe has Alois captive for some reason..." he spoke after a minute of debating whether or not he should or shouldn't inform Sebastian of that fact.

"Grell?" Sebastian said with a certain amount of surprise to his voice. He had known the red head so long as simply an annoyance he had completely forgotten his darker side. The Jack the Ripper side.

"So it's true then...The Death God's are after them? Then...-" Claude's eyes flickered to the bathroom door, pausing in mid sentence, "-...Then we have to find Alois as soon as possible...before he's killed."

"Why?"

Claude's eye's flickered back to Sebastian at the question. Sebastian himself found himself in a similar state to that of Undertaker not that long ago; questioning the motives of a confused demon about a young boy.

"I have to. If I don't...things will happen." He bit out.

"You made another deal with the boy then?"

"No...something else." Claude shook his head.

Sebastian was about to question them further before they heard and shuffling sound, then a bang and what sounded like a heated argument coming from the bathroom. And then, the door was openned.

Without time to think, Sebastian moved. He moved fast enough to put himself between the spider demons and Ciel.

Ciel glared up at him, barely out of the room, and attempted to shove him away. Same old Ciel.

"Look, I don't know or particularly care who or what you are, but I know something about Alois."

And with that, all ears and eyes were on him.

* * *

It was moderately uncomfortable sitting in a hospital room with numerous older men, and that's not even including the repugnant troll in the corner.

Even more-so when Ciel occasionally got the overwhelming feeling that more than one of these individuals wanted to pop one of his legs right out of the socket and gnaw on it like an overgrown dog. Though Ciel was always fond of dogs...

He had been positions back onto the hospital bed, with his man of the night rescuer to his side standing guard. Jennis, the noxious hobgoblin, was standing between the bed and the nightstand, reading to do whatever needed to be done to ward off the 'spiders' he kept murmuring about.

Again, Ciel was relatively lost as to what arachnids he was referring to. It was undoubtedly aimed at the newcomers, so where they a team of some sort? Rival gang or creepy child thieves?

If they knew and tolerated Alois, then 'saint' fits them better, Ciel thought to himself with a mental sneer.

But, that was unrelated.

"He said he knew something." "He said he knew things." "Hospital lighting makes you look like a undercooked piece of poultry meat."

Whispers by the triplets were silenced by a sharp look from the bespectacled man.

"You did say you knew something relating to Alois...would you like to inform us, or just sit idly by until you grow old and die and we're left to prompting your remains for information?"

Ciel raised an eyebrow, it was one of the more eloquent ways of saying 'you're boring us to death' he had heard. Obviously, this man was of British origin.

He lowered his gaze to his finger nails, and relaxed his body, as well as he could. The key was to look nonshalant.

"I do...But, how am I to know you're going to use the information I may possess, to benefit myself in anyway? You are aligned with Alois, isn't that correct?"

Sebastian's eyes were dancing in mirth, that Ciel still knew how to play ball against his opponents. He was, while injured from a near fatal wound, treating a demon like he was nothing more than a business rival.

Sebastian wasn't yet aware or know that it would be impossible to remove himself from Ciel's side again, but regardless, he was there to stay. Logically, he should have never interfered in this mess at all, but that would have to mean he was thinking logically in the first place.

Claude was a bit taken back, this was the old Ciel peaking through the looking glass. But he couldn't afford to get wrapped up in the boy again, last time that had happened..he ended up tied to a rather annoying little blonde boy in purgatory for far too long...

A tie that has yet to be broken, Claude thought with a frown. All the more reason to get down to business.

"You've revealed that whatever information you may contain about Alois, may put us at odds. Your first move is a bad one, Ciel Phantomhive." Claude responded back disparagingly. That made Ciel finally look up from his damn nails for once.

Blue eyes levels onto him with utter boredom and apathy.

"No, the fact I was thrown into a hospital bathroom to be kept from your sight was enough to indicate we'd be on opposite playing fields. I think you know where this is going now, I want something, and in return for you word on that, I'll give you what I know. "

This was Ciel's world, when he was 5 he had managed to convince 10 school yard chums that they really honestly wanted to give HIM their dessert snacks.

Sebastian desperately wanted to rest his chin in his hands and watch dreamily as Ciel completely emasculated the other demon, Claude. If demons had birthdays, this would be his.

Claude noticed Sebastian's 'caught the canary' look, and clenched his own jaw.

"Fine. What do you want?"

Ciel smiled kindly, "I don't want to ever hear from Alois again. Ever. I don't want to _see_ him, _hear_ him, or god forbid _smell_ him. If I hear so much as _one _cultural reference I don't understand and am forced to look up on the internet again, I will, and I swear on this, _hunt all of you down_."

Everyone was a bit shocked at that, except one demon who was looking at the boy and picturing a conquered world and rose petals.

"Also, don't call me Ciel '_Phantomhive'_ again.

Then Claude huffed and bit out another, 'Fine'

Ciel nodded, "Alright then, if I have your word on it,-" Claude and the Triplets nodded,"- I met Alois on the flight from London. He was quite annoying. He also said he had a brother, but I never saw him with anyone else after the passengers departed..., I'd imagine that was a lie correct?-" Nods all around.",- Right, so he managed...somehow, to obtain my phone number as well as my mothers. I changed my number once, but he must have gotten it again, most likely from my mother."

Ciel paused, and not just entirely for dramas sake, though Sebastian was silently congratulating the boy for his theatre skills. Remembering the phone call that Alois had delivered, brought back memories of being attacked. That he had almost died in the middle of a park, that he almost died, most likely with goose feces on his shoes was a horrible thing to contemplate.

"...I received a call from Alois, in Central Park. Just before the individual who attacked me arrived...,-"

Sebastian cut in with a, "Death God, Grim Reaper, Shinigami as some know them.. His name was William T. Spears. " and shot Claude a knowing look, as his fellow demons would be aware of the implications of a high ranking Death God being called out on this.

Ciel frowned for a moment, before nodding and filing that information into the back of his head, and continued on,"- Thank you, as I was saying...Alois called..with..the most annoying song I have ever- okay that's unrelated. Alois called and told me he..captured my mother. And was holding her hostage at St. Patricks Cathedral.."

Claude shook his head adamantly, "No. If our information is anything to go on, Alois is more likely to be a captured party than an instigator. He couldn't possibly be...-"

"How much do you really know about the boy? How do you know he hasn't remembered every little thing you did to him, how do you know he isn't purposely trying to get back at you..using the Death Gods? He's foolish, and immature, 'll give you that... but he's clever." Sebastian spoke smoothly, looking firmly at Claude, while Sebastian cared very little about the Trancy boy, for a demon...he was mildly disgusted by Claude's actions in throwing away his master.

Claude looked conflicted, and the triplets stayed silent, not even bothering to whisper to themselves...they had just as much been a part of the breach in contract that led to Alois' death.

And Demons...were all about contracts, without it they had nothing besides hunger. No emotions, no heart, no love. Right?

Their silence was cut short when Ciel gasped, and grabbed for Sebastian's arm. Blue eye's focused onto the doorway.

The present demons whipped their heads and attentions to the figure now standing in the door.

None other than William T. Spears, again.

"If you're worried about Alois Meister/Trancy, taking part in Grell's scheme purposely, don't be."

He flipped open a book, which had three names on it.

"Alois is dying, currently and will be dead in a matter of minutes.-"

Claude visibly flinched and froze, his mind racing. He let him die again. He let him die, it was his fault again. He was responsible. He did it, He did it again. He killed Alois.

But, if...Alois dies..then-

Ciel felt his blood pressure drop into his hospital sanctioned booties. Not because he was faced with his attacked, but because he could read the next name on the list. Sebastian's hand curled tightly over the boys shoulder.

William continued on,

"-And not long after, Deirdre McKinley-La Mer will follow suit... -"

He frowned deeply, it was the most amount of emotion anyone had seen on the man. He looked honestly bothered.

"-...And then, my assignment will be to eliminate Grell Sutcliffe for going against orders and killing an innocent."

* * *

A/N;

._. if I didn't stop it there I'd never update this XD Also I did not really do much but I once over with my eyes on this, so it's probably ripe with bad.

I don't even know what to say anymore. I'm still kind of debating where to take this, and no matter what I do it ends up being a lot longer than I would have ever expected XD I was thinking like. 5 -10 chapters tops..and here I am at...uuugghsuhur

I'm pretty sure I accidentally turned Sebastian into a teenage girl in this chapter, but whatever. (I will not lie and say I didn't use a thesaurus while describing Jennis a few times. Words are fun. )

(and a shout out to Narutopokefan, who got 250! Another shout out to anyone who gets the 300th review!)

Thanks Anywaaaay. Thanks to everyone for the support, even though I have the updating skills of a everyone. And I know I say it every chapter but it actually does help,

Reviews make me update faster!

I honestly would have never continued this past chapter 3 if I didn't realize people actually enjoyed reading this dribble so thank you thank you and review review!


	14. Dreams May (not) Come

I'm back! I'm sure everyone is out of the fandom by now! Whoops. Sorry folks, I am not the most reliable updater but you should all know that.  
In other news _**MY BOOK**_ IS COMING OUT SOON. YOU SHOULD ALL BUY IT. JUST DROP ME A PRIVATE MESSAGE (PM/IM) ON MY PROFILE AND I'LL LINK YOU TO THE BOOK.  
SUPPOOOOORT MEEEEEEEE.

Wow I totally didn't notice how remarkabad the last chapter was. I am so sorry for the spelling errors.I'm really trying hard to remember where I was going to take this story. And honestly for the life of me I can't, so I've made up some new paths that should be fun.

I've done some things in this that will either be explained later in the chapter itself, or later in the story, so if something seems completely out of place or unexplained ...yeah, that.

Disclaimer; I own nothing. I'm not making a profit off of it so shut ya pie hole.

* * *

Alois opened his eyes.

He was struck with the sensation he'd long parted with; A general sense of ...good. It might have had something to do with the fact he'd had a nightmareless rest.

No, he decided. This was something entirely different.

Did he rest at all? A slim finger inched up to dance along his throat. Alois remembered a breaking snap of bones in his fragile neck; he knew all too well that feeling.

Ah, yes.

He knew all too well, _everything_.

Turning eyes to the heavy crypt door, a smile curved over his lips that simply wasn't himself.

* * *

Claude was willing up transport to St. Patrick's Cathedral, more than ready to use up large reserves of his energy to get to Alois.

Will shut his schedule, and eyed Claude with a (more than usual)-serious expression.  
"There's no point; He's dead," His eyes shifted to Ciel who was looking paler than moments ago. Maybe the boy thought his wish of never having to see Alois again had come to horrible fruition. Unlikely, given the Ciel of past would have more or less been responsible for the boys demise and elated in it.

"There is however a chance of saving your mother, her death time is fluctuating rapidly."

Ciel opened his mouth to speak, most likely to Sebastian who was already moving to grab the boy up, however he was cut off by Claude.

"No! He can't be dead; He can not have died," A clenched jaw accompanied the averted gazes the triplet demons had.

"Is this remorse, demon? For a human?" Will sneered, the concept of a demon having remotely savable characteristics was laughable at best*.  
(*Not that William T. Spears ever engaged in something as foolish as laughter.)

"No, that isn't it, is it? You're connected somehow, to Alois."  
Ciel's voice was odd, it was his own but at the same time it wasn't. Not like the time in which Alois had possessed Ciel's body, but the change was noticeable that Sebastian visibly pulled back from the injured boy.

Claude tensed again, before responding.

"On the island, after I was dealt the wound by the demon blade...for a short time, all of our beings converged. Us, as demons pulled away soon after as our bodies started to mend but we were still somehow connected to Alois' soul. His rebirth, and our revival are I believe connected some how. When his soul wanes and flickers, we feel it. I, more so than the others. My connection to him is the strongest since without him, my wound would have not healed from such a weapon."  
Claude adjusted his glasses with a single finger, he purposely left out a few details they need not know relating to Alois' rebirth and Luca Macken.  
"If Alois was well and dead, I suspect at the very least myself and Hannah would die or perish."

"Let me suggest something, as I'm sure William is about to argue that his records do not lie, and it will spark another fight. We all have business to attend to at St. Patrick's, why not we save our supernatural bickering until we observe for ourselves what the situation is, yes?" Sebastian smiled curtly, and the elder brunettes of the room nodded to themselves.  
And with that the bespectacled men swished out the room in not but a blur to the casual viewer. Thompson, Timber and Cantebury bowed their heads before following their leader.

Sebastian breathed out, what was one to do when it seemed the forces of both heaven and hell were against you?

Work them against one another until you got your own way, obviously.

But what exactly was his 'own way'? He hadn't stopped to work out the specifics, but while turning a red eye to the injured boy next to him, Sebastian knew exactly what he wanted. Even if admittance to himself of those facts was a far off mile to go.

Ciel looked up slowly to meet his gaze, a look about his face Sebastian hadn't seen before. No, trash that; He had seen it before, but never directed at himself before.  
It was a look of nostalgic longing, one Ciel had often looked at lady Elizabeth with. 'I need you by me to stay connected to myself', would be the literal translation if there was to be a book written of his traits.  
For Elizabeth, it was obvious to mean that Ciel couldn't lose touch with the happiness of his own childhood; though moreover a reminder that those days were purposely ended too soon with disaster and despair. Sebastian had no idea why Ciel's gaze was fixed upon him so, was it because he remembered his possible 'past-life' and wanted to return to it? It was worth questioning him about.

"Your name...Sebastian, was it?" Ciel spoke quietly, but not softly. A quirk made itself to Sebastian's lips; The Queen's Dog was onto a scent.

Nodding, "I've been called that for some time now, but I'd imagine you're reaffirming a hunch you have rather than really wanting to discuss such matters when such dire news faces your ...mother, correct?"  
Ciel didn't bother to respond to the assertion, and didn't need to. Sebastian, whether Ciel knew it right now or know, knew the boy better than anyone.

"Will I be able to walk?"

"I say, you haven'a noticed I been healin' ya this damn whole time." Jennis, the pustule of a pixie chimed in, having been silent through most of the previous encounter. Ciel positioned himself to survey his leg, which had only a faint pink line of recently healed skin. It would scar, but it was better than dying. Pushing off the side of the hospital bed, while extremely happy his gown actually had a back to it, Ciel bounced gingerly on the previously injured and found his body had no complaints to the motion.

"I need new clothes, and a ride to the church."

Sebastian pulled an entirely new outfit out of seemingly nowhere, and smiled.

"I've picked out for you a Burberry wool blend coat, and dress shirt, as well as slacks from Armani."

Ciel eyed him carefully, and may or may not have been wondering what kind of person took that much joy in picking out an underage boys clothing. Was he dealing with some sort of lolita-loving vampire? His nose wrinkled at the thought of their previous guests being somehow worse.

"I'm not going to ask where you got those, or how much they cost,-"

"Roughly $756.52"

"-Just get me to St. Patrick's Cathedral this instant!"

Sebastian chuckled, it was dark and smooth like velvet and just entirely terrifying and maybe just a bit attractive. It was something he had most certainly never practiced doing.  
"Very well, Ciel.._La Mer."_

* * *

Deirdre had been grabbed just near Broadway, and woken tied up and half haphazardly thrown onto some sort of table. Her eyes cracked open and took in where she was.  
A tall golden peak, of expertly crafted gold rose above her and the stone walls created such amazing shadows that danced and played from the light shining in from stained glass windows. A profoundly bad feeling crept into her stomach as she came to realize she wasn't just on a table, she was on an altar. A familiar one at that.

Grell was sitting on the closest pew, diligently sharpening the blade on what looked like an extremely obnoxious chainsaw. Deirdre struggled to get out of her shackles, and to do it silently, but there was no use. Grell looked up and shot her a toothy grin,  
"Don't worry, as soon as Sebby gets here you're..probably free to go. Maybe. Well, I wouldn't put it in pen just yet."

There was a loud crash back behind the main sanctuary possibly from one of the side paths or...oh...the _crypt. _Grell was up in a heart beat with weapons at the ready.  
Rounding the corner came an unlikely visage.

Alois brushed off his clothes and grinned at Grell,

"Why, I think we need to rethink our arrangement."

For once in his life the redhead was completely silent, even with his mouth open and slack. He was morally certain he killed that boy and enjoyed doing it. Alois Trancy, or was it Meister, looked different. Older maybe, more mature. There was the same bubbly psychotic outside, but it was more refined. More focused.

"Oh, right. We didn't have one. You kidnapped me, and then killed me. _Rude_. Well, I think the message here is...and really has it ever been different,-"

Alois' once light fairy blue eyes turned to deadly icy fire

"_You __**don't**__ really kill Alois Trancy_."

Grell stumbled backwards and swung his weapon forward. He wasn't yet ready to turn the machine on, it would alert anyone in the area; even off it was a tool of destruction.  
"No, no that's not right! You died, you _are_ dead. You're in my Book **DEAD**. You-..You know you're Alois Trancy"

Alois tilted his head to the side, and brought his hand up to tap at his chin."Hmm, I wonder about that. Am I really?" His eyes floated over to the tied up Dierdre on the altar. "I really wonder."  
She gulped, but there was a familiarity to the boy.

"I know you're dead I just-," Grell grumbled and flipped through the pages in his book and then stared in wonder, "-..You're gone. You're..not..you're not even in the book anymore. How?"  
Green eyes widened in wonder and horror. He was intrigued. Scared, but intrigued. He liked being intrigued.

Alois in the blink of an eye moved forward, and in a flurry of movement kicked Grell. Hard.  
The next moment, Grell found himself in the middle of broken pews with Alois Trancy grinning down at him.

"Maybe your superiors aren't telling you everything they should be. Maybe, we should work together." The blond extended a hand, one Grell looked incredulously at.

"Why should I believe you? You've put your lot in with demons! Ones that _aren't_ Sebastian!" And Alois laughed, and laughed.

"Isn't that exactly why? You remember what happened to me don't you? I was lost, my only family who had been ruthlessly mocked by humans was dead. Humans were then responsible for selling me as a _sex slave_. But..but then I found hope...I trusted Claude..Hannah..the others. I trusted them and they betrayed me. I loved Claude and how did he betray me? Not by taking my soul, but _by crushing my skull_."  
Alois' voice was growing more and more desperate and angry as he continued on speaking.  
"I thought my life had fallen to pieces, broken and shattered. Again, but this time in this world. Yet there was Claude. Again, again. He shows up right at my worst like a guardian angel, but he's worse than even a demon. He broke my trust again..my heart."

Grell had fallen silent. What was this feeling? He knew it...

"Kill them, I say. Kill them all. All of the demons, and let the humans live their pitiful lives with no help from us or them. Let them destroy one another, and let the demons be slaughtered or starve to death."

Grell knew this feeling; The desperate anger and hate. The boy, for just a second, had the same expression as Madam Red.

"And I say, we kill Ciel Phantomhive first."

A sharks grin split over Grell's features.

* * *

Ciel hadn't really stopped screaming in Sebastian's ear until they landed just outside the church. There were people walking around, but no one was looking. It was like the people of New York weren't pay attention to their- okay, never mind that seemed rather normal.  
Sebastian let Ciel slide down until his feet his solid ground, and they were instantly 'greeted' by the other demons. It looked as if William and Claude were conversing over something a few feet away, which Sebastian took as odd if Claude was so eager to get in to see Alois.

Hannah was here this time and smiled sadly at Sebastian, then again she never made many other expressions besides sad smiles.  
"Alois' name isn't in William's book anymore. We're not sure whats going on, but given the situation we decided on waiting for another helping hand. You'll help won't you?"

The burgundy eyed demon nodded civilly, but his attention was more focused on the still rather peculiar way Ciel was looking at him. A slight tick of the mouth, sharp eyes. Oh, Sebastian knew the boy was still working things out in his head but just what had he concocted in his mind?

"Well then, which way do we enter? The front is a bit of a grand gesture," Ciel voiced, turning away from Sebastian.

"There is another entrance, hidden just past the south transept. Though I'd assume that regardless of which party is responsible, Grell or Alois, would prefer a grand gesture."  
Ciel gave a curt nod to his former demon, and moved towards the right side of the two entrance doors of the cathedral.

"Then let us abandon all hope, and enter hells gates." Will said calmly, and was instantly elbowed in the stomach by some individual of the group I'm not at liberty to say*.  
[*Timber]

The doors swung open with a resounding noise; an olde noise that follows crafted bronze on heavy hinges.

* * *

It had taken them a moment to figure out their order, though everyone agreed that William was to go first*  
[*As canon-fodder.]

Claude went next, followed by the triplets; and then to Hannah who was followed by Ciel and Sebastian bringing up the rear. As the doors closed behind their little merry group of humanly-awkward super-beings, music began playing on the magnificent organ the church possessed. They continued on forward, past the odd-yet-not-unexpected Gift Shop and on down into the pews.  
Ciel jerked to a stop for a moment before clenching his fist, and Sebastian noted that the melody was being played by a woman who must have been Ciel's mother. The organ she was playing was on a second story, to their rear. While they couldn't see her face while she was playing, it was obvious from the way she carried herself that her entire frame was stressed. She was obviously being threatened.

Claude was the next to react, "Alois!"

Hannah rushed forward towards the boy, but Alois simply rose one hand in the near universal sign of, 'Stop'.

The blond was seated on the altar, putting out what appeared to be stolen candles from the Lady of Guadalupe shrine. His eyes were focused on the task itself, slowly bouncing one leg in a rhythmic fashion to the music. Without saying a word, the hand he had up moved to his neckline where he tugged down his shirt collar. The action revealed a nasty dark hand shaped bruise around this throat, the telltale sign of a violent attack.

Alois spoke one word, "Grell."

The group took this to mean Grell had been the aggressor, which while true was not the reason Alois had said it. An electrical sound roared to life, and from somewhere behind the Crypt entrance Grell came forth. The weapon swung at a few of the demons, completely bypassing Will and within moments it became obvious the redhead was aiming specifically at Ciel.  
The game was changed instantly, and the music stopped and was replaced by a shrieking Deirdre. Sebastian danced around Grells movements, knowing them all too well. However, there was something of note in his mannerisms; for one the man wasn't speaking or making any come-ons, the flirting was gone and replaced with a more manic gleam than he had seen in...

Ah.

In a flash, Sebastian had grabbed Ciel and tossed the boy towards Hannah, who instinctively tugged him away from the action.

"Alois is Grell's master!"

Will was involved now, whipping his weapon around like an expert lancer that he was. Though he was only using it defensively, he still had an advantage over his underclassman. No matter how many years would pass, Grell never had the concentration to be as lethal as he would be otherwise. A small saving grace in the end it turned out.

Claude looked dumbfounded to the blond he believed he knew so well, and their eyes met. Alois was a complicated little shit, but his expressions weren't. They just always had another meaning, but once you knew them it was easy enough to figure him out.  
Happy wasn't happy, it was 'look at me'.  
Angry was self loathing, not a form of wrath.

The look he had now was clear as ice. Hatred. Pure, cold calculating hated.

Alois slunk off the altar, and stalked forward like a dangerous feline. Claude never moved, maybe he was captivated...  
The boy bit into his own hand until blood bubbled up, and when he reached centimetres from Claude, he made his play. Dragging a blood coated finger along Claude's lips, Alois leaned in next to his former demons ear and whispered.

"How do I taste now?"

_Definitely captivated_, Claude thought to himself.  
Which was the last thing he thought before being propelled backwards and slamming into one of the stone support pillars.

Grell fell back, smiling happily next to his new master.

"Demon..," whispered Will, mirroring the odd groups expression towards Alois. Shaking his blond locks, Alois laughed and fit Claude one last look,

"You brought this upon yourself, _highness."_

Turning his attention back to Ciel who was still being hugged into safety by Hannah, Alois smiled and out stretched his arms in a mock of friendship,

"Ciel, 'For in that sleep of death what dreams may come'!(1)"

"You program my phone to terrible pop songs, and now you're quoting Shakespeare? You really are off, aren't you?" Ciel snipped at the blond, and pushed away from the strange woman he had just met.

"Ah, yes. But I'm not a demon, unlike the individuals you're metaphorically laying with!" Alois glanced between Sebastian and Ciel,  
"Or maybe not so 'metaphorically' afterall, hmm?"  
Ciel turned a wary eye to Sebastian, and really hoped Alois was just teasing.

"Oh that's right! You don't remember anything do you? Unlike me, who remembers _everything_. It's understandable though, I've been reborn and you're left in that little useless husk of a body." Alois' cat metaphors are near cliché, but the other was practically purring. Scary, scary purring.

"Let me tell you a little tale about a boy named Ciel _Phantomhive_, now I'm at liberty to speak here since we shared a body for awhile,"Ciel wrinkled his nose at the very thought.  
"Once upon a time in London, a young boys parents were killed in a horrible attack by a fallen angel. He went through _such_ tough times after that, to the point where he swore revenge. But seeing how he weighed about 2kilograms in wet clothes, his hopes were dashed until he met a happy little demon named Sebastian. Or, he was given the name Sebastian, it doesn't really matter..Anyway, instead of turning to remaining family in a time of struggle or even better yet to a _psychologist_, Ciel _sold his soul_."

Ciel began to feel dizzy, and his brain a bit fuzzy. All of a sudden it seemed as though Alois' little phrase had begun to ring true in his head.

._.sleep of death what dreams may come...dreams may come..._

"Then, you _didn't_ die! Why? Because the demon I got _completely_ fucked me over, and not in the good way! You didn't die, until you _did_. Plummeting off the side of a cliff into water I believe, for the second time even. You and water, not a good relationship _La Mer. _I, I was the kind one who gave you death and the one who fed your demon. Our deeds weren't ignored either; We were given life again, our books were stopped and we came back! But why, you ask?"  
Alois' voice grew quieter near the end, but the ice in his eyes continued to spread.

"To be given a gift, because we know their manners in ways no one has been able to speak of before. The demons, they had power which we craved for different reasons but reasons none the less. Their power is meaningless now. You could posses the power you crave, like I know you still do."  
One hand outstretched,"abandon the demons and I can give you knowledge."

Ciel wavered where he was standing as his dreams...his nightmares seemed to spiral in front of his eyes. Sebastian quickly moved into Ciel's line of sight, and the navy haired youth stumbled backwards.

"They've given you nothing but strife; I can give you your memories and your very person back to you. Ciel, come with us," Alois motioned to Grell next to him.

Will pushed forward, yelling out,  
"You say 'us' as if you mean to convert one of my own to your delusion!"

Alois cocked his head, with an innocent smile that wouldn't fool ….well, a demon.

"'Convert'? No, I didn't force Grell to follow my will. He's following orders, simply speaking."  
The blond looked at Hannah for a long moment, before his eyes flicked to Claude who was pushing himself up out of dust. The bespectacled demon looked between Alois, Will and Sebastian in hopes they'd appear to be more informed than him.

Hannah clutched at her own heart, "Alois, ..what about Luka?"

Instead of reacting explosively like they'd expect from Alois, he just glanced down for a moment with a tick of the jaw.  
"I will free Luka. I will save all the souls lost to you .._monsters_." Looking up, his eyes flashed green before fading back to cold blue. Will immediately fell back and looked shocked, while Grell fit Will with a smug look.

"I will do this because I'm no longer kept to a mortal frame. I will, because**_ I_** am a Death God," Alois' gaze flickered to Ciel once more.

"As you could be, my anathema."

* * *

-TBC?-

* * *

Okay I have no idea what any of that was. I'm sorry, I think? ( fucked up my ...everything, so I had to edit it here kind of on the fly, sorry if I missed something.)

(1): This is a line from Hamlet, which I found to be fitting, though I'm not the biggest Shakespeare fan on the literary planet. ….'anathema' at the end was a not-reference to Good Omens. And its a cool word)  
Uh, so. Essentially, as some of you know if you've read my AN or reviewreplies, I'm honestly more fond of Alois than I am Ciel. While I am capable of turning a favorite character into a bad guy, in regards to Alois however, NOT EVERYTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS. (most of the plot right now is at a 'just...I'll explain it later.')

Also, AGAIN HEY I WROTE A _**BOOK**_ AND YOU SHOULD PM ME ABOUT THAT AND I'LL GIVE YOU ALL THE DETAILS.  
Thanks for reading, I know this AN is stupidly long already but I just want to thank everyone who has reviewed or read and stuck with the story. Thank you so much.


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